As all approach their deaths, the eyesight falters first,

Those who have lived out more than threescore years and ten,

Die or are like to die, and there is no gainsaying.

Is it untimely, strange, that eyesight should give way?

There are those near to death, in whom their hearing fails

Lose touch and taste and smell, then die away.

You live and of your senses five have lost but one;

Think on your fortune: yet the four remain.

And I have half-lost two, and live no less at ease

Than once I did when all five senses served together.

For that, let God be praised: come, Sister dear, with me

And thank him for the loss of one fifth part alone.

What do the blind lament who, living, lost their sight?

Think they that they have lost yet better sights to come?

Better than those past things, which often they have seen?

Have they not seen enough? What do the old yet seek?

Those who have stored up well, can live on garnered sights,

Or else his garnering is labour without fruit:

Those who seek day by day the increase of their store

Choose toil rather than ease, disquietude for peace.

Think gratefully on what you in the world have seen

Throughout your many days; it comes to no small sum.

They have this blessing still, the blind who once could see:

They cannot see ahead, but see alone the past.

Suppose that you could see ahead, it would be short,

So short compared to what is past that you have had

To see: if someone took the old hours and offered new

All that he offered you would be infinite loss.

But you and I have lived a multitude of years,

Have outlived with our seeing the sight of many men;

This all we have surveyed, experienced in this world

Things worthy to be seen, and not worthy to be seen.

Insight alone remains, through which we fit ourselves

To search within ourselves and learn what is within,

Waer doorw’ ootmoedelick voor God alleen bekennen

Waerw’ in verlegen zijn om sijn’ vergiffenis.