Who sekes to tame the blustering winde, <br />Or causse the floods bend to his wyll, <br />Or els against dame nature's kinde <br />To 'change' things frame by cunning skyll: <br />That man I thinke bestoweth paine, <br />Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine. <br /> <br />Who strives to breake the sturdye steele, <br />Or goeth about to staye the sunne; <br />Who thinks to causse an oke to reele, <br />Which never can by force be done: <br />That man likewise bestoweth paine, <br />Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine. <br /> <br />Who thinks to stryve against the streame, <br />And for to sayle without a maste; <br />Unlesse he thinks perhapps to faine, <br />His travell ys forelorne and waste; <br />And so in cure of all his paine, <br />His travell ys his cheffest gaine. <br /> <br />So he lykewise, that goes about <br />To please eche eye and every eare, <br />Had nede to have withouten doubt <br />A golden gyft with him to beare; <br />For evyll report shall be his gaine, <br />Though he bestowe both toyle and paine. <br /> <br />God grant eche man one to amend; <br />God send us all a happy place; <br />And let us pray unto the end <br />That we may have our princes grace. <br />Amen, amen! so shall we gaine <br />A dewe reward for all our paine.<br /><br />Anonymous Olde English<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-dyttie-to-hey-downe/
