Know Then Thyself

As we find ourselves well into the new year, I think this part of the poem by Alexander Pope, written in the 1700s is most appropriate and one of my favorites.

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan, The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A Being, darkly wise and rudely great:

With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride.
He hangs between, in doubt to act, or rest;
In doubt to deem himself a God or Beast;

In doubt his mind or body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reasoning but to err;
Alike his ignorance, his reason such,
Whether his thinks too little or too much.

Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confused,
Still by himself abused or disabused,
Created half to rise, and half to fall,
Great lord of all things, and yet a prey to all.

Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurtled,
The glory, jest and riddle of the world.

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Ecclesiastes  3.

 

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance.