Sweet Content

by Thomas Dekker

Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
         O sweet content!
Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexéd?
         O punishment!
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexéd
To add to golden numbers, golden numbers?
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
   Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
   Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny!

Canst drink the waters of the crispéd spring?
         O sweet content!
Swimm’st thou in wealth, yet sink’st in thine own tears?
         O punishment!
Then he that patiently want’s burden bears
No burden bears, but is a king, a king:
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
   Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
   Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny!