O thou thyself dost say to us – Modernized Edition

O thou thyself dost say to us:
          Thou will not sinners’ death,
But that we do convert and live¹“Say to them: As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: and why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezechiel 33:11, Douay-Rheims Bible).
          even while our souls have breath,
And no more then to cease to be
          canst thou (O God) refuse
To pardon humble penitents
          that do themselves accuse, 
Being no excepter²Rejecter. of persons
          all having cost thee dear,
Yes even thy very life itself;
          how can I therefore fear?
If ever yet he did disdain 
          sinners that fled to him, 
Then had I little cause of hope
          but this was never seen.
For if they do return to thee,
          thy hart thou will not close,
As witness can my wretched soul,
          who was so like to lose
All grace and goodness (if thou hadst
          not me with help prevented) 
By sins that would with bloody tears 
          be while I live lamented, 
If I as grateful were to thee,
          as thou deservest I should,
Or as another in my case 
          unto thy mercy would.
But thou while that thou livedst here,
          by tokens plain didst show,
That none should be refused by thee,
          who dost in mercy flow.
And that my wicked heart did prove,
          who after sins so many,
Hath found much favor in thine eyes
          without deserving any.
O blessed ever be my God,    
          for this preventing grace,³A reference to the doctrine of prevenient grace, in which God’s grace occurs before a human being takes any action.
Which I unworthy have received
          in this most happy place.
I fled from thee by many sins
          and thou didst follow me,
As if my ruin would have caused
          some detriment⁴Loss. to thee.
How can this choose but wound my heart
          When I remember it,
And ever serve to humble me
          while at thy feet I sit?⁵“And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord’s feet, heard his word” (Luke 10:39, Douay-Rheims Bible).
From whence my Lord, my God, and all,
          permit me not to rise,
till I do love thee as thou wouldst,
          the which doth all comprise.

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