The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith ... Revised by the Author: Coll. ed. |
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[Ah! you bring money in your hand] |
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 | The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith |  |
[Ah! you bring money in your hand]
“Wherefore is there a price in the hand
of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath
no heart to it?”—Prov. xvii. 16.
Ah! you bring money in your hand,
Fain to buy wisdom? You are clear
There's nothing gold will not command;
It answereth to all things here;
And you wish wisdom, as is fit,
And will not grudge the cost of it.
Fain to buy wisdom? You are clear
There's nothing gold will not command;
It answereth to all things here;
And you wish wisdom, as is fit,
And will not grudge the cost of it.
For you are rich, and you have store
Of guineas, dollars, and rupees,
And bonds and shares, that yield you more
Than you can squander well with ease.—
God help you, man! You could not buy
An ounce of wisdom with them. Try.
Of guineas, dollars, and rupees,
And bonds and shares, that yield you more
Than you can squander well with ease.—
God help you, man! You could not buy
An ounce of wisdom with them. Try.
Lo! here are books where men have found
Of wisdom many a precious gem;
And you may have them, gilt and bound,
But not the wisdom wrapt in them.
Yet buy them, fool: so men have got
Credit for wisdom they had not.
Of wisdom many a precious gem;
And you may have them, gilt and bound,
But not the wisdom wrapt in them.
Yet buy them, fool: so men have got
Credit for wisdom they had not.
And likely that is all you want—
The credit, not the thing itself.
Then hold your peace, and do not vaunt,
And you may purchase with your pelf,
If you have wit your tongue to rule,
A name for wisdom, though a fool.
The credit, not the thing itself.
Then hold your peace, and do not vaunt,
And you may purchase with your pelf,
If you have wit your tongue to rule,
A name for wisdom, though a fool.
There! go your way, and with your gold,
Buy food and raiment, house and land;
The best things are not bought and sold,
There is no price that will command
Wisdom, or peace, or love, or health;
And you are poor with all your wealth.
Buy food and raiment, house and land;
The best things are not bought and sold,
There is no price that will command
Wisdom, or peace, or love, or health;
And you are poor with all your wealth.
| The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith | |