He liv­eth long who liv­eth well!
All oth­er life is short and vain;
He liv­eth long­est who can tell
Of liv­ing most for hea­ven­ly gain.

He liv­eth long who liv­eth well!
All else is be­ing flung away;
He liv­eth long­est who can tell
Of true things tru­ly done each day.

Waste not thy be­ing; back to Him,
Who free­ly gave it, free­ly give,
Else is that be­ing but a dream,
’Tis but to be, and not to live.

Be wise, and use thy wis­dom well;
Who wis­dom speaks must live it, too;
He is the wis­est who can tell
How first he lived, then spoke, the true.

Be what thou seem­est; live thy creed;
Hold up to earth the torch di­vine:
Be what thou pray­est to be made;
Let the great Mas­ter’s steps be thine.

Fill up each hour with what will last;
Buy up the mo­ments as they go;
The life above, when this is past,
Is the ripe fruit of life be­low.

Sow love, and taste its fruit­age pure;
Sow peace, and reap its har­vest bright;
Sow sun­beams on the rock and moor,
And find a harvest-home of light.