Careful Words

balm (n.)

balm (v.)

Not all the water in the rough rude sea

Can wash the balm off from an anointed king.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): King Richard II. Act iii. Sc. 2.

  Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?

Old Testament: Jeremiah viii. 22.

Methought I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep!" the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,

The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,

Chief nourisher in life's feast.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Macbeth. Act ii. Sc. 2.