O eyes, leave off your weeping

O eyes, leave off your weeping,
love hath the thoughts in keeping
that may content you. 
Let not this misconceiving, 
where comforts are receiving,
causeless torment you. 

Clouds threaten but a shower;
hope hath his happy hour,
though long in lasting. 
Time needs must be attended
Love must not be offended
with too much hasting. 

But O the painful pleasure,
where Love attends the leisure
of life's wretchedness: 
where Hope is but illusion,
and Fear is but confusion
of Love's happiness. 

But happy Hope, that seeth
how Hope and Hap agreeth,
of life deprive me;
or let me be assured
when life hath death endured
Love will revive me.

by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
sometimes misattributed to Nicholas Breton (1542-1626)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Robert Hales (-1615?) , "O eyes, leave off your weeping" [countertenor, lute]

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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