Epistle - Marguerite de Navarre

If God gave me the Christ as lord.
Must I another wait upon?
If bread of life is my reward,
Must I the bread of death feed on?
If my salvation comes anon
From His hand, mustl trust my own?
If His is my support, whereon
I lean, so must he be, alone.
If He is my one hope, and sure,
Must I hope on another too?
If He is all my strength secure.
Must I seek greater and more true?
And if naught but His will I do.
Must my persistence lauded be?
Would l the falsely fair pursue,
Must I forsake His certainty?
If Christ is all my sense, my wit,
My life, must I prize mortal dust?
If He bestowed the Holy Writ,
Must I some other doctrine trust?
If He deigns teach, wherefore needs must
I seek a better school than His?
If He decrees His will august,
Must I hide what that message is?
lf God calls me His child, must l
Fear to accept His fatherhood?
If those of worldly bent deny
Me this, must I comply? And should
He work in me all that is good,
Must I boast as the source thereof?
No! God does all one can and could:
Him alone must we fear and love!

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Marguerite de Navarre (1492 - 1549) France
Translated by Norman R. Shapiro