The “East” is a geographical term used to refer to the parts of Asia that lie to the east of Europe, such as, China, India, Syria, Asia Minor, etc. As “the East” encompasses a vast range of land and countries, the metaphor works on a literal level: “the East” literally can hold more riches because it refers to a larger area. However, during Bradstreet’s time, the world outside of Europe was just becoming accessible to Europeans, and Europeans saw Asia as a place of incredible wealth that colonizers saw as theirs for the taking.
Although it may be tempting to translate the term “ye” into “you,” the term actually means “the.” The fourth line differs from the first three in that the speaker shifts the focus from herself and her husband to women in general.
