Verse 1
Ah! Foolish world, forbear
Thine unavailing pain,
Nor needlessly declare
Our hope, and labour vain:
Tell us no more, we cannot know
On earth the heavenly powers,
Or taste the glorious bliss below,
Or feel, that God is ours.

Verse 2
So ignorant of God,
In sin brought up, and born,
Ye fools, be not so proud,
Suspend your idle scorn:
For us who have receiv’d our sight
Ye fain would judges be,
And make us think, there is no light,
Because you cannot see.

Verse 3
The same in your esteem,
Falshood and truth ye join,
The wild pretender’s dream,
And real work divine:
Between the substance, and the shew
No difference you can find,
For colours all, full well we know,
Are equal to the blind.

Verse 4
Wherefore from us depart,
And to each other tell
“We cannot on our heart
The written pardon feel:”
A stranger to the living bread
Ye may beguile, and cheat,
But us you never can persuade,
That honey is not sweet.