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| PAUSE not to dream of the future before us; | |
| Pause not to weep the wild cares that come o’er us; | |
| Hark! how Creation’s deep, musical chorus, | |
| Unintermitting, goes up into Heaven! | |
| Never the ocean-wave falters in flowing; | 5 |
| Never the little seed stops in its growing; | |
| More and more richly the rose-heart keeps glowing, | |
| Till from its nourishing stem it is riven. | |
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| “Labor is worship!”—the robin is singing; | |
| “Labor is worship!”—the wild-bee is ringing; | 10 |
| Listen! that eloquent whisper upspringing | |
| Speaks to thy soul from out Nature’s great heart. | |
| From the dark cloud flows the life-giving shower; | |
| From the rough sod blows the soft-breathing flower; | |
| From the small insect, the rich coral bower; | 15 |
| Only man, in the plan, shrinks from his part. | |
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| Labor is life! ’T is the still water faileth; | |
| Idleness ever despaireth, bewaileth; | |
| Keep the watch wound, for the dark rust assaileth; | |
| Flowers droop and die in the stillness of noon. | 20 |
| Labor is glory!—the flying cloud lightens; | |
| Only the waving wing changes and brightens; | |
| Idle hearts only the dark future frightens: | |
| Play the sweet keys, wouldst thou keep them in tune! | |
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| Labor is rest from the sorrows that greet us, | 25 |
| Rest from all petty vexations that meet us, | |
| Rest from sin-promptings that ever entreat us, | |
| Rest from world-sirens that lure us to ill, | |
| Work—and pure slumbers shall wait on thy pillow; | |
| Work—thou shalt ride over Care’s coming billow; | 30 |
| Lie not down wearied ’neath Woe’s weeping-willow; | |
| Work with a stout heart and resolute will! | |
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| Labor is health! Lo! the husbandman reaping, | |
| How through his veins goes the life-current leaping! | |
| How his strong arm, in its stalwart pride sweeping, | 35 |
| True as a sunbeam the swift sickle guides! | |
| Labor is wealth—in the sea the pearl groweth; | |
| Rich the queen’s robe from the frail cocoon floweth; | |
| From the fine acorn the strong forest bloweth: | |
| Temple and statue the marble block hides. | 40 |
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| Droop not, though shame, sin, and anguish are round thee! | |
| Bravely fling off the cold chain that hath bound thee! | |
| Look to yon pure Heaven smiling beyond thee; | |
| Rest not content in thy darkness—a clod! | |
| Work—for some good, be it ever so slowly; | 45 |
| Cherish some flower, be it ever so lowly; | |
| Labor!—all labor is noble and holy! | |
| Let thy great deeds be thy prayer to thy God! | |
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