FRIENDSHIP

When presses hard my load of care, And other friends from me depart, I want a friend my grief to share, With faithful speech and loving heart.

I want a friend of noble mind, Who loves me more than praise or pelf, Reproves my faults with spirit kind, And thinks of me as well as self —

A friend whose ear is ever closed Against traducers’ poison breath; And, though in me be not disclosed An equal love, yet loves till death —

A friend who knows my weakness well, And ever seeks to calm my fears; If words should fail the storm to quell, Will soothe my fevered heart with tears —

A friend not moved by jealousy Should I outrun him in life's race; And though I doubt, still trusts in me With loyal heart and cloudless face.

True friendship knows both joy and grief, The sweetest pleasure, keenest pain; Its sharpest pangs are ever brief, Mere flitting clouds before the rain.

But soon the joy returns again With bluer sky and brighter light; The grief proves but a narrow glen All full of flowers, though hid from sight.

And e'en in darkness we inhale The fragrant odors love emits; Friendship like this can never fail — On love's strong throne its monarch sits.

True friendship is of greater worth Than words, though they were solid gold. To all the glittering gems of earth I it prefer, a thousandfold.

One Friend I have who knows my heart, And loves me with a changeless love; I love Him, too — nor death can part Us two, for we will love above.

A woman's love to His is faint; No brother cleaves as close as He; No seraph words could ever paint The love this Friend now bears to me.