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Quotes from Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children — Isaac Watts

1674–1748 England

← All quotes by Isaac Watts

20 quotes

How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flower!

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

And he that does one fault at first
And lies to hide it, makes it two.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

But, children, you should never let
Such angry passions rise;
Your little hands were never made
To tear each other's eyes.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Let me be dressed fine as I will,
Flies, worms, and flowers, exceed me still.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

I have been there, and still would go;
'T is like a little heaven below.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Birds in their little nests agree;
And 'tis a shameful sight,
When children of one family
Fall out, and chide, and fight.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

I would not change my native land
For rich Peru with all her gold.
A nobler prize lies in my hand
Than East or Western Indies hold.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed!
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

One stroke of his almighty rod
Shall send young sinners quick to hell.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

The wise will make their anger cool
At least before 'tis night.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

A flower, when offered in the bud,
Is no vain sacrifice.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be past,
That I may give for every day
Some good account at last.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
For God hath made them so;
Let bears and lions growl and fight,
For 't is their nature too.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

There's not a place where we can flee,
But God is present there.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

A flower may fade before 'tis noon,
And I this day may lose my breath.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Then will I set my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind;
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace,
These are the robes of richest dress.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Just as a tree cut down, that fell
To north, or southward, there it lies:
So man departs to heaven or hell,
Fix'd in the state wherein he dies.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Lord, I ascribe it to thy grace,
And not to chance as others do,
That I was born of Christian race,
And not a Heathen, or a Jew.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

In works of labour or of skill
I would be busy too:
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

...but every lyar
Must have his portion in the lake
That burns with brimstone and with fire.

Divine Songs Attempted in the Easy Language of Children (1715)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Isaac Watts (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.