The sonnet explores the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures—wealth, beauty, love, and power—depicting them as bright but ultimately insubstantial without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It begins by cataloging these joys: golden fields, silver streams, lavish feasts, luxurious beds, and crowns of authority. Yet, it asserts that these treasures fade like mist under shadows, losing their sweetness and brilliance when disconnected from divine purpose. In contrast, the poem pivots to exalt a single smile from Christ, portraying it as a divine gift of grace that surpasses the value of rubies and the entire world’s riches. This smile offers an eternal love and wealth worth seeking, rendering all earthly offerings grand but insufficient. Ultimately, the sonnet concludes that Christ’s glance alone brings true, lasting joy, overshadowing all else.

What are the joys of earth, so brightly spread,
The gold of fields, the silver streams that sing,
The banquet’s feast, the crown of power instead,
That makes a pauper king?
These treasures gleam beneath the sun’s warm ray,
Yet fade like mist when shadows overtake,
Their sweetness sours, their brilliance turns to gray,
Without the Lord, what substance can they make?
But oh, one smile from Christ, the Savior’s face,
Outshines the ruby’s fire, the world’s vast store,
A gift of grace no riches can replace,
A wealth to seek, a love forevermore.
For all the earth may offer, grand and wide,
His glance alone brings joy unsatisfied.