He That Is Down Needs Fear No Fall
Poem:
He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
I am conent with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such.
Fullness to such a burden is
That go on pilgrimage :
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age.
– John Bunyan
New Words / Phrases and their Use
1. low (humble, weak and depressed) – God loves the weak and the low.
2. content (satisfied) – I am content with whatever I have.
3. crave (desire strongly) – He always craves for money.
4. burden (responsibility) – The burden of the family is on my shoulders.
5. pilgrimage (religious journey) – Life is a pilgrimage on this earth.
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Comprehension and Appreciation of the Poem
Answer each question briefly :
1. Who fears no fall ?
2. Who has no pride ?
3. Who has God for his guide ?
4. What is the poet content with ?
5. What does the poet crave and why ?
6. For whom is fullness a burden ?
7. What does the poet regard as bliss ?
8. Find the rhyming pairs of words in the poem.
Vocabulary Enrichment
Match the words with their opposites :
1. much best
2. worst little
3. proud pride
4. humility content
5. emptiness humble
6. heretofore fullness
7. discontent hereafter
Grammar in Use
Note : We can use ‘need’ as a helping verb in negative sentences, not in
affirmative sentences. The sentence –
He needs fear no fall.
is grammatically incorrect. As a helping verb the singular form of
‘need’ is ‘need’ not ‘needs’. Therefore, correct sentence should be –
He need not fear any fall. (Here need is a helping verb.)
(or) He does not need to fear any fall. (Here need is the main verb.)
(or) He needs no fear of any fall. (Here need is the main verb.)
