| Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903. | | | | Love | | By George Herbert (1593–1633) |
| | | LOVE bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, | |
| Guilty of dust and sin. | |
| But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack | |
| From my first entrance in, | |
| Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning | 5 |
| If I lack’d anything. | |
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| “A guest,” I answer’d, “worthy to be here.” | |
| Love said, “You shall be he.” | |
| “I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, | |
| I cannot look on Thee.” | 10 |
| Love took my hand and, smiling, did reply, | |
| “Who made the eyes but I?” | |
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| “Truth, Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame | |
| Go where it doth deserve.” | |
| “And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?” | 15 |
| “My dear, then I will serve.” | |
| “You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat”: | |
| So I did sit and eat. | | | | |
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