Holy Sonnet 5 - John Donne
/Holy Sonnet 5 - John Donne/
A Contemplation of Inner Cleansing and Divine Zeal
Original:
I am a little world made cunningly
Modern:
I am a small cosmos, artfully fashioned
Original:
Of elements, and an angelic sprite;
Modern:
From earthly elements and angelic spirit combined;
Original:
But black sin hath betray’d to endless night
Modern:
Yet dark sin has cast it into unending night
Original:
My world’s both parts, and oh both parts must die.
Modern:
Both parts of my being, and alas, both must face death.
Original:
You which beyond that heaven which was most high
Modern:
You who dwell beyond the loftiest heaven
Original:
Have found new spheres, and of new lands can write,
Modern:
Have discovered new realms and can tell of new lands,
Original:
Pour new seas in mine eyes, that so I might
Modern:
Flood my eyes with new seas, so I may
Original:
Drown my world with my weeping earnestly,
Modern:
Drown my entire world through sincere tears,
Original:
Or wash it if it must be drown’d no more:
Modern:
Or cleanse it if it need not be fully submerged:
Original:
But oh it must be burnt! alas the fire
Modern:
But alas, it must be burned! The fire
Original:
Of lust and envy have burnt it heretofore,
Modern:
Of lust and envy has scorched it before,
Original:
And made it fouler: Let their flames retire,
Modern:
Making it more impure: Let those flames be driven out,
Original:
And burn me O Lord, with a fiery zeal
Modern:
Then burn me, O Lord, with a purifying zeal
Original:
Of thee and thy house, which doth in eating heal.
Modern:
For You and Your temple, whose consuming fire restores.
I am a little world made cunningly
Modern:
I am a small cosmos, artfully fashioned
Original:
Of elements, and an angelic sprite;
Modern:
From earthly elements and angelic spirit combined;
Original:
But black sin hath betray’d to endless night
Modern:
Yet dark sin has cast it into unending night
Original:
My world’s both parts, and oh both parts must die.
Modern:
Both parts of my being, and alas, both must face death.
Original:
You which beyond that heaven which was most high
Modern:
You who dwell beyond the loftiest heaven
Original:
Have found new spheres, and of new lands can write,
Modern:
Have discovered new realms and can tell of new lands,
Original:
Pour new seas in mine eyes, that so I might
Modern:
Flood my eyes with new seas, so I may
Original:
Drown my world with my weeping earnestly,
Modern:
Drown my entire world through sincere tears,
Original:
Or wash it if it must be drown’d no more:
Modern:
Or cleanse it if it need not be fully submerged:
Original:
But oh it must be burnt! alas the fire
Modern:
But alas, it must be burned! The fire
Original:
Of lust and envy have burnt it heretofore,
Modern:
Of lust and envy has scorched it before,
Original:
And made it fouler: Let their flames retire,
Modern:
Making it more impure: Let those flames be driven out,
Original:
And burn me O Lord, with a fiery zeal
Modern:
Then burn me, O Lord, with a purifying zeal
Original:
Of thee and thy house, which doth in eating heal.
Modern:
For You and Your temple, whose consuming fire restores.
In John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 5,” the speaker envisions himself as a microcosm—a “little world” composed of earthly elements and a heavenly soul. Donne laments that this world has been corrupted by sin, plunging him into a state of spiritual darkness. A sense of desperation underlies his plea for divine intervention, as he hopes tears and repentance might cleanse his sullied existence.
However, Donne quickly shifts from water imagery to fire, indicating that mere tears—though a symbol of contrition—may be insufficient. Instead, he recognizes a need for a more severe purification: a burning away of sin’s entrenched hold. This metaphorical fire serves as both judgment and mercy; by enduring the flames of divine zeal, the individual can emerge refined, free from impurities like lust and envy.
The poem also taps into Donne’s fascination with cosmic and explorative imagery. He addresses the divine as One who has charted new spheres and lands, suggesting God’s boundless knowledge and power. By using language reminiscent of contemporary exploration and discovery, Donne likens his internal struggles to uncharted territories that only divine grace can ultimately conquer.
Throughout, Donne integrates biblical resonances: God purifies souls with fire, not to destroy them utterly, but to heal them. Fire thus represents the fervor of grace, a power that eradicates corruption and sets the sinner on a course of spiritual renewal. Donne’s fusion of vivid imagery, combined with the sonnet’s tight structure, creates an intimate and urgent appeal that resonates even today.
In the final lines, Donne directly calls upon the Lord to burn him with a “fiery zeal” born of unwavering devotion. This fervent request emphasizes the paradox that what consumes can also restore. By surrendering himself to divine intervention, the poet underscores a principal tension of Christian faith: the struggle to relinquish personal will and entrust oneself fully to God’s transformative love.
Key points
1. The poem presents a profound plea for spiritual cleansing from sin.
2. Donne uses contrasting images of water and fire to depict two modes of purification.
3. Exploration imagery underscores God’s omniscience and humanity’s uncharted inner realms.
4. Biblical resonances highlight the redemptive power of divine grace.
5. Spiritual transformation often entails both suffering and healing.