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52
“EMPEROR EVERMORE.”
Who bad thee do and suffer bids thee rest:
Sleep, greatest Hohenzollern, on His breast.
Sleep, greatest Hohenzollern, on His breast.
He gave thee strength of body and soul, and then
He gave thee will to do and think for men.
He gave thee will to do and think for men.
He taught thee to possess thy soul and wait:
He called thee to the ruler's high estate,
He called thee to the ruler's high estate,
Soldier and statesman, great in field and rede,
Strong in thy thought and glorious in thy deed;
Strong in thy thought and glorious in thy deed;
Yet mightier strength and brighter glory shed
Kaiser, on thee, by suffering perfected:
Kaiser, on thee, by suffering perfected:
For more than empire welded, battle won,
Is to have learnt to say Thy will be done.
Is to have learnt to say Thy will be done.
So, on thy life of life He wrote it plain,
All the divine significance of pain.
All the divine significance of pain.
Thee, when the great death-angel came, he found
King unanointed, emperor uncrowned.
King unanointed, emperor uncrowned.
Better than gold and oil of sovranty,
His patience crowned thee and anointed thee;
His patience crowned thee and anointed thee;
Thee, by His grace Who loved and did and bore,
King over pain, and suffering's emperor.
King over pain, and suffering's emperor.
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