Men point at me as smitten by God's frown, Afflicted and deserted by mankind; Yet I am not cast down. I am weak, yet strong; I murmur not that I no longer see Poor, old, and helpless, I the more belong, O merciful One! When men are farthest, then Thou art most near; When friends pass by, my weakness shun, Thy chariot I hear. Thy glorious face Is leaning towards me, and its holy light Shines in upon my lonely dwelling-place, And there is no more night. On my bended knee, I recognize Thy purpose clearly shown; I have nought to fear; This darkness is but the shadow of Thy wing: Beneath it I am almost sacred, here Can come no evil thing. Oh! I seem to stand, Trembling where foot of mortal ne'er hath been, Wrapped in the radiance of Thy sinless land, Which eye hath never seen. Visions come and go; Shapes of resplendent beauty round me throng; From angel lips I seem to hear the flow Of soft and holy song. It is nothing now, When heaven is opening on my sightless eyes, When airs from paradise refresh the brow, That earth in darkness lies. In a pure clime My being fills with rapture-waves of thought Roll in upon my spirit-strains sublime Break over me unsought. OMMIT thou all thy griefs To His sure truth and tender care, Who points the clouds their course, Put thou thy trust in God, In duty's path go on; Fix on His word thy steadfast eye, So shall thy work be done. No profit canst thou gain By self-consuming care; To Him commend thy cause, His ear Give to the winds Thy fears; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; Through waves, and clouds, and storms, He gently clears thy way: Wait thou His time-thy darkest night F A Valediction. OD be with thee, my beloved, God be with thee! Thy face unto the north 'Moor and pleasance, all around thee and beneath thee While I, who try to reach thee, With the farewell and the hollo, And cannot reach Thee so. Alas! I can but teach thee- God be with thee, my beloved,-God be with thee! Can I teach thee, my beloved,—can I teach thee? The counsel would be light,- The wisdom poor of all that could enrich thee, My right would show like left; My raising would depress thee, My choice of light would blind thee, Of way would lead behind thee, Of end would leave bereft. Alas! I can but bless thee May God teach thee, my beloved,-may God teach thee! Can I bless thee, my beloved, can I bless thee? What blessing word can I From my own tears keep dry? What flowers grow in my field wherewith to dress thee? My good reverts to ill; My calmnesses would move thee, My softnesses would prick thee My bindings up would break thee My crownings curse and kill. Alas! I can but love Thee May God bless thee, my beloved,-may God bless thee! Can I love thee, my beloved-can I love thee? And is this like love, to stand With no help in my hand, When strong as death I fain would watch above thee? My love-kiss can deny No tear that falls beneath it: My oath of love can swear thee And thou diest while I breathe it, And I, I can but die! May God love thee, my beloved,-may God love thee. BIDE with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness thickens; Lord with me abide ; Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; |