Paraphrase
Human beings go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty billows of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars and pass themselves by; nor wonder that when I spoke of all these things, I did not see them with my eyes, but I saw them inwardly, in my memory.
Meditation
We human beings see so many things in life that inspire awe in us and rightly so, for the world is filled with wonder. Yet we often pass by, without the slightest sense of wonder, the most glorious part in all of creation, namely, ourselves.
You, O human being,
do you not see yourself?
Do you not realize how wonderful you are?
Have you thought, even for a moment, how great, how highly exalted, is your dignity!
You are not only human but also divine, “the image of God.”
Indeed, you are
“fearfully and wonderfully made.”
You are not merely a little higher than the animals.
Rather, you are “a little lower than the angels”!
O human being, remember your dignity
and live accordingly.
Amen.
