Blessed be the Lord that teacheth my fingers to loosen,
And cooleth my feet with water after the dust of the way.
Blessed be the Lord that giveth me hunger at nightfall,
And filleth my evening cup with the wine of good cheer.
Blessed be the Lord that maketh me happy to be quiet,
Even as a child that cometh softly to his mother's lap.
O God, thy strength is never worn away with labour:
But it is good for us to be weary and receive thy gift of rest.
THE GREAT CITIES
How wonderful are the cities that man hath builded:
Their walls are compacted of heavy stones,
And their lofty towers rise above the tree-tops.
Rome, Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus,—
Venice, Constantinople, Moscow, Pekin,—
London, New York, Berlin, Paris, Vienna,—
These are the names of mighty enchantments,
They have called to the ends of the earth,
They have secretly summoned a host of servants.
They shine from far sitting beside great waters,
They are proudly enthroned upon high hills,
They spread out their splendour along the rivers.
Yet are they all the work of small patient fingers,
Their strength is in the hand of man,
He hath woven his flesh and blood into their glory.