Life and Existence

To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love All pray in their distress; And to these virtues of delight Return their thankfulness.

I’ll shade him from the heat till he can bear To lean in joy upon our Father’s knee; And then I’ll stand and stroke his silver hair, And be like him and he will then love me.

When my mother died I was very young, And my father sold me while yet my tongue Could scarcely cry ’weep! ’weep! ’weep! ’weep! So your chimneys I sweep, and in soot I sleep.

My mother bore me in the southern wild, And I am black, but O! my soul is white; White as an angel is the English child, But I am black as if bereav’d of light.

My mother bore me in the southern wild, And I am black, but O! my soul is white; White as an angel is the English child, But I am black as if bereav’d of light.

And we are put on earth a little space, That we may learn to bear the beams of love, And these black bodies and this sunburnt face Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.

And we are put on earth a little space, That we may learn to bear the beams of love, And these black bodies and this sunburnt face Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.

Little Lamb, I’ll tell thee, Little Lamb, I’ll tell thee: He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb. He is meek and he is mild; He became a little child. I a child, and thou a lamb, We are called by his name. Little Lamb, God bless thee! Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life and bid thee feed By the stream and o’er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing, woolly, bright.

Piping down the valleys wild, Piping songs of pleasant glee, On a cloud I saw a child, And he laughing said to me: “Pipe a song about a Lamb.” So I piped with merry cheer; “Piper, pipe that song again.” So I piped; he wept to hear.

And I made a rural pen, And I stain’d the water clear, And I wrote my happy songs Every child may joy to hear.

O’er all the hilltops Is quiet now, In all the treetops Hearest thou Hardly a breath; The birds are asleep in the trees: Wait; soon like these Thou too shalt rest. 16

Do you wish to roam farther and farther? See! The Good lies so near. Only learn to seize good fortune, For good fortune’s always here.

Who strives always to the utmost, For him there is salvation. 14

Of freedom and of life he only is deserving Who every day must conquer them anew. 13

Once a man’s thirty, he’s already old, He is indeed as good as dead. It’s best to kill him right away.

Once a man’s thirty, he’s already old, He is indeed as good as dead. It’s best to kill him right away.

Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.

Dear friend, all theory is gray, And green the golden tree of life.

I am the Spirit that always denies! 11

Two souls alas! dwell in my breast.

And here, poor fool! with all my lore I stand! no wiser than before. 10

Man errs as long as he strives. 9

Man errs as long as he strives. 9