The Rule Of Life Expanded
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749 (Frankfurt) – 1832 (Weimar)
IF thou wouldst live unruffled by care,
Let not the past torment thee e'er;
If any loss thou hast to rue,
Act as though thou wert born anew;
Inquire the meaning of each day,
What each day means itself will say;
In thine own actions take thy pleasure,
What others do, thou'lt duly treasure;
Ne'er let thy breast with hate be supplied,
And to God the future confide.
-----
IF wealth is gone--then something is gone!
Quick, make up thy mind,
And fresh wealth find.
If honour is gone--then much is gone!
Seek glory to find,
And people then will alter their mind.
If courage is gone--then all is gone!
'Twere better that thou hadst never been born.
-----
HE who with life makes sport,
Can prosper never;
Who rules himself in nought,
Is a slave ever.
MAY each honest effort be
Crown'd with lasting constancy.
-----
EACH road to the proper end
Runs straight on, without a bend.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 49 sec read
- 102 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XABBCCAADD E F FE F FEX X AC A G G HH |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 850 |
Words | 161 |
Stanzas | 12 |
Stanza Lengths | 10, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2 |
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"The Rule Of Life Expanded" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/21866/the-rule-of-life-expanded>.
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