“How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,”
Running out of time is parallel to looting of one’s youth. One cannot preserve one's youthfulness in perpetuity because time would not sanction it. Accordingly, both youthfulness and time are momentary.
“ Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth/That manhood am arriv’d do near”
The speaker’s peripheral look does not portray clues of his forthcoming manhood. Nonetheless, the speaker concedes that on the inside he intuits that he is very nearly a man. Therefore, the speaker does not count on corporeal masculinity to authenticate whether he has come on age or not.
But patience, to prevent/That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need/Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best/Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state/Is Kingly
The rejoinder from patience stresses God’s transcendentalism. Therefore, the speaker would not discern God’s motivation of denying him light. The reply suggests that blindness should be immaterial when executing Godly duties. Therefore, The speaker should regard the blindness as an insignificant encumbrance and carry on with elevating God.
