| MY mind to me a kingdom is; | |
| Such present joys therein I find, | |
| That it excels all other bliss | |
| That earth affords or grows by kind: | |
| Though much I want that most would have, | 5 |
| Yet still my mind forbids to crave. | |
| |
| No princely pomp, no wealthy store, | |
| No force to win the victory, | |
| No wily wit to salve a sore, | |
| No shape to feed a loving eye; | 10 |
| To none of these I yield as thrall; | |
| For why? my mind doth serve for all. | |
| |
| I see how plenty surfeits oft, | |
| And hasty climbers soon do fall; | |
| I see that those which are aloft | 15 |
| Mishap doth threaten most of all: | |
| They get with toil, they keep with fear: | |
| Such cares my mind could never bear. | |
| |
| Content I live, this is my stay; | |
| I seek no more than may suffice; | 20 |
| I press to bear no haughty sway; | |
| Look, what I lack my mind supplies. | |
| Lo, thus I triumph like a king, | |
| Content with that my mind doth bring. | |
| |
| Some have too much, yet still do crave; | 25 |
| I little have, and seek no more. | |
| They are but poor, though much they have, | |
| And I am rich with little store; | |
| They poor, I rich; they beg, I give; | |
| They lack, I leave; they pine, I live. | 30 |
| |
| I laugh not at another’s loss, | |
| I grudge not at another’s gain; | |
| No worldly waves my mind can toss; | |
| My state at one doth still remain: | |
| I fear no foe, I fawn no friend; | 35 |
| I loathe not life, nor dread my end. | |
| |
| Some weigh their pleasure by their lust, | |
| Their wisdom by their rage of will; | |
| Their treasure is their only trust, | |
| A cloakèd craft their store of skill; | 40 |
| But all the pleasure that I find | |
| Is to maintain a quiet mind. | |
| |
| My wealth is health and perfect ease, | |
| My conscience clear my chief defence; | |
| I neither seek by bribes to please, | 45 |
| Nor by deceit to breed offence: | |
| Thus do I live; thus will I die; | |
| Would all did so as well as I! |
