O merciful God, grant, I beg you, that I may ardently desire what is pleasing to you, wisely seek it out, accurately recognize it, and perfectly fulfill it.
Order my state to the praise and glory of your name, and so that I may do what you require of me, grant that I may know it, and enable me to carry it out in a way which is fitting and beneficial to my soul.
May my way to you, Lord, be safe, direct and completed, not getting lost between prosperity and adversity, so that I may give you thanks without vanity when things go well, and preserve patience without dejection when they go badly. May I rejoice in nothing except what advances me in your sight and grieve over nothing except what leads me away from you.
May I not aim to please anyone or fear to displease anyone but you. For your sake make all things transitory seem worthless to me, and let all that is yours be dear to me, you yourself, my God, more than everything.
May every joy which is without you be wearisome to me, may I not wish for anything which is apart from you. May I take pleasure in every labour undertaken for you, and be wearied by all repose which is not in you. Grant that I may direct my heart fervently towards you, and weigh up my failings with grief and a purpose of amendment.
Make me humble without pretence my God, cheerful without loss of self-discipline, sad without dejection, serious without pomposity, lively without flippancy, truthful without duplicity; make me fear you without despairing, hope in you without presuming, rebuke my neighbour without hypocrisy, edify him in word and deed without pride, obey without contradiction, endure without murmuring.
Dearest God, make my heart watchful so that no idle curiosity can distract it from you, noble so that no unworthy affection can drag it down, unconquered so that no tribulation tires it, free so that no overwhelming pleasure takes it captive, unswerving so that no sinister purpose turns it aside.
Lord my God, bestow on me an understanding which knows you, diligence which seeks you, wisdom which finds you, a way of life which pleases you, perseverance which confidently awaits you, and trust which happily embraces you.
May I be pierced by your punishments through repentance, profit from your blessings through grace on my journey, and enjoy your delights in my heavenly home through glory.
Amen.