1. Poverty's no shame when borne with patience,
Nor begging, when it's but disease's cure;

2. Only the wealthy miser earns true blame
Who selfishly denies the needy poor.

3. How strange they censure the impoverished man
For that which God, in heaven, preordained!

4. Yet overlook the rich man's greed and ban,
His efforts fruitless, and his trials in vain.

5. And strangest is when flatterers praise as friend
The man whose wealth has never them sustained!

6. Had he but spent his surplus to befriend,
The good would love him, evil him disdained.

7. God would be praised, mankind would him commend—
Not so self-interested sycophants remained!

8. No, they are followers of lust and greed
Whose righteous Lord will justly recompense.

9. They shame the modest to exalt the deed
Of misers whose self-love breeds indifference.

10. He strives and toils not for praise honestly won
Nor for the wage of labour night and morn,

11. But for some tainted treasure he has drawn
To hoard though life itself may be outworn.

12. His face, his honour, he would sacrifice,
His wealth before him, dignity behind,

13. But blind greed drove him, blank to reason’s eyes—
Naught sways the veil drawn over mind and heart!

14. Had he but weighed delight ‘gainst earning’s pain,
No toil could equal one hour’s joy gained.

15. I censure him, his party I disdain!
Would that he heard reproof and took the lesson plain!

16. I cannot be content when sorrow and duress
Are, for transient things, made his eternal possession.

17. Why should the lasting joy at that which will not last?
How lost are those who seek no worthy destination!