Mock On, Mock On, Voltaire, Rousseau

by William Blake

Mock on, mock on, Voltaire, Rousseau:
Mock on, mock on: tis all in vain!
You throw the sand against the wind,
And the wind blows it back again.

And every sand becomes a gem
Reflected in the beams divine;
Blown back they blind the mocking eye,
But still in Israel's path they shine.

The atoms of Democritus
And Newton's particles of light
Are sands upon the Red Sea shore,
Where Israel's tents do shine so bright.

Reply/Réponse

Hope on, hope on, Boswell and Blake;
Hope on and pray: tis all in vain.
You think perhaps the dust that blows
Will someday come to life again?

Continuent à espérer, Boswell et Blake;
Espérez et priez: il est tout en vain.
Vous pensez peut-être la poussière qui souffle
viendront un jour à la vie encore?


Back to main page.