 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
FOOLS INCORRIGIBLE.
FROM THE GERMAN OF GOETHE.
I.
All the old sages, however indeedThey wrangle and fight in the bitterest way,
In one thing, at least, are fully agreed:
They wink at each other and laughingly say,
For the mending of fools it is foolish to wait,
Fools will be fools as certain as fate.
Sons of Wisdom! make 'em your tools;
That, only that, is the use of fools!
II.
Merlin, the ancient, long in his shroud,Where I accosted him once in my youth,
Unto my questioning answered aloud,
Solemnly speaking this notable truth:
For the mending of fools it is foolish to wait,
Fools will be fools as certain as fate.
Sons of Wisdom! make 'em your tools;
That, only that, is the use of fools!
III.
High on the top of an Indian moundI heard it once in the passing air;
And Egypt's vaults, deep under the ground,
The same old tale were echoing there:
For the mending of fools it is foolish to wait,
Fools will be fools as certain as fate.
Sons of Wisdom! make 'em your tools,
That, only that, is the use of fools!
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |