O Lord! methought what pain it was to drown!
What dreadful noise of waters in mine ears!
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O Lord! methought what pain it was to drown!
What dreadful noise of waters in mine ears!
What sights of ugly death within mine eyes!
Methoughts I saw a thousand fearful wracks;
A thousand men that fishes gnawed upon;
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,
All scatt'red in the bottom of the sea:
Some lay in dead men's skulls, and in the holes
Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept
(As 'twere in scorn of eyes) reflecting gems,
That wooed the slimy bottom of the deep
And mocked the dead bones that lay scatt'red by.

Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.

Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginnings of my
strength, the excellency of dignity, and the read more

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginnings of my
strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up
to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my
couch.

Pouring oil on troubled water.

Pouring oil on troubled water.

Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, read more

Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.

Pure water is the best of gifts that man to man can bring,
But who am I that I read more

Pure water is the best of gifts that man to man can bring,
But who am I that I should have the best of anything?
Let princes revel at the pump, let peers with ponds make free,
Whisky, or wine, or even beer is good enough for me.

With true friends . . . even water drunk together is sweet enough.

With true friends . . . even water drunk together is sweet enough.

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground,
which cannot be gathered up again; read more

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground,
which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any
person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not
expelled from him.

Stones are hollowed out by the constant dropping of water.

Stones are hollowed out by the constant dropping of water.