He who makes a pretence

Of cultivating wisdom --

The ancient wisdom

Of great antiquity,

Knows the first thing,

But not the sequel to it.

He regulates what is internal

In himself, but not

What is external to himself.

If he had intelligence enough

To be entirely unsophisticated,

And by doing nothing to seek

To return to a normal simplicity,

Embodying the instincts of his nature

And keeping his spirit as it were held

In both hands, so enjoying himself

In a common way,

All men might then be proud of him!

But what should you and I find

In the ancient wisdom of olden time

That is able to worth our knowing today?