Lucky: the man who measures out his days
among his equals—simple, honest, free,
not gripped by cramping fears or jealousies,
ruling a farmstead kingdom peaceably.
The miseries of grasping for a place
do not obsess him. His feelings are unbound,
yet his desire, placid and passionless,
stops at the fence that guards his plot of ground.
Nor does he trouble his heart with any grand
affairs, but sets his hope on what is sure,
serving himself as master, court, and king:
Not wasting his substance in a foreign land.
Not risking his life in someone else’s war.
Not wanting more. Not lacking anything.
—Joachim du Bellay,
translation by Maryann Corbett
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Can I be direct with you?
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But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
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