OH! if my ling'rèn life should run,

Drough years a-reckoned ten by ten, through

Below the never-tirèn zun,

Till beäbes ageän be wives an’ men;

An’ stillest deafness should ha’ bound

My ears, at last, vrom ev'ry sound;

Though still my eyes in that sweet light,

Should have the zight o’ sky an’ ground:

Would then my steäte

In time so leäte,

Be jaÿ or païn, be païn or jaÿ? joy

When Zunday then, a-weänèn dim, waning

As theäse that now's a-clwosèn still, this one, closing

Mid lose the zun's down-zinkèn rim, might

In -bound hill; fire-

An’ when the bells’ last peal's a-rung,

An’ I mid zee the wold an’ young old

A-vlockèn by, but shoulden hear,

However near, a voot or tongue:

Mid zuch a zight,

In that soft light

Be jaÿ or païn, be païn or jaÿ?

If I should zee among em all,

In merry youth, a-glidèn by,

My son's bwold son, a-grown man-tall,

Or daughter's daughter, woman-high;

An’ she mid smile wi’ your good feäce,

Or she mid walk your comely peäce,

But seem, although a-chattèn loud,

So dumb's a cloud, in that bright pleäce:

Would youth so feäir,

A-passèn there,

Be jaÿ or païn, be païn or jaÿ?

‘Tis seldom strangth or comeliness

Do leäve us long. The house do show

Men's sons wi’ mwore, as they ha’ less,

An’ daughters brisk, vor mothers slow.

A dawn do clear the night's dim sky,

Woone star do zink, an’ woone goo high, one

An’ livèn gifts o’ youth do vall,

Vrom girt to small, but never die: great

An’ should I view,

What God mid do, may

Wi’ jaÿ or païn, wi’ païn or jaÿ?