Since I am coming to that holy room, Where, with thy choir of saints forevermore, I shall be made thy music; as I come I tune the instrument here at the door, And what I must do then, think here before.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Donne compares preparing for eternity to tuning an instrument before entering a performance hall.
- In plain terms
- You should prepare your soul now for what you will do in heaven later.
- What can you take from it?
- Preparation for the afterlife starts in the present life.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How are you preparing for your future self?
- What will you do when your time ends?
Another view
It presumes a belief in an afterlife where such preparation matters.
More from John Donne
We understood Her by her sight; her pure, and eloquent blood Spoke in her cheeks, and so distinctly wrought, That one might almost say, her body thought.
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Permalink to quote #47 And new philosophy calls all in doubt, The element of fire is quite put out; The sun is lost, and the earth, and no man's wit, Can well direct him where to loo…
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