For he who preserves a poor man from want,
May preserve him from wickedness too.
If thy neighbour should sin, old Christoval cried,
Never, never unmerciful be!
For remember it is by the mercy of God
That thou art not as wicked as he.
At sixty-and-seven the hope of heaven
Is my comfort, old Christoval cried;
But if God had cut me off in my youth,
I might not have gone there when I died.