He Who Would Valiant Be

155 He Who Would Valiant Be

1. He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,
   Let him in constancy follow the Master.
   There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
   His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

2. Who so beset him round with dismal stories
   Do but themselves confound—his strength the more is.
   No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
   He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

3. Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
   We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
   Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
   I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.
                       John Bunyan
                       Adapt. by Percy Dearmer
                       The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
My first thought on seeing this was that I didn't remember that John Bunyan had written any hymns. Well, actually, this wasn't written as a hymn, per se. It was adapted from Pilgrim's Progress. The actual words in Pilgrim's Progress are as follows:

1. Who would true valour see,
   Let him come hither;
   One here will constant be,
   Come wind, come weather
   There’s no discouragement
   Shall make him once relent
   His first avowed intent
   To be a pilgrim.

2. Whoso beset him round
   With dismal stories
   Do but themselves confound;
   His strength the more is.
   No lion can him fright,
   He’ll with a giant fight,
   He will have a right
   To be a pilgrim.

3. Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
   Can daunt his spirit,
   He knows he at the end
   Shall life inherit.
   Then fancies fly away,
   He’ll fear not what men say,
   He’ll labor night and day
   To be a pilgrim.

</idle musing>