Whether we wake or we sleep, Whether we carol or weep, The Sun with his Planets in chime, Marketh the going of Time.

The stanza contrasts the full range of human states—sleeping and waking, singing and sorrow—with the impersonal steadiness of the cosmos. Regardless of our moods or awareness, time advances, “marked” by the harmonious motion of the sun and planets. The archaic diction (“Marketh”) and musical imagery (“in chime”) suggest a universe whose order is rhythmic and indifferent, turning human experience into a brief accompaniment to a larger celestial measure. The lines invite humility: personal joys and griefs are real, but they occur within a vast, regular system that continues without pause, underscoring both transience and continuity.