As thou, in the rich love of thy great heart,
Didst look in pity on my bygone sin,
Have mercy on the love I live upon,
And pray for life! Oh, Gretchen, pray for life!
Gret. Lisa,
I looked in pity on thy bygone sin
In the poor pride of an untempted heart,
As one to whom such sorrow could not come.
I looked upon such unknown sin as thine
As a rich queen might look upon starvation—