John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Giving and Taking

John Greenleaf Whittier

“Giving and Taking” as printed in The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895).

John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics Text 47 1895 · historical text
Public domainBalladAmerican song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Who gives and hides the giving hand,

Nor counts on favor, fame, or praise,

Shall find his smallest gift outweighs

The burden of the sea and land.

Who gives to whom hath naught been given,

His gift in need, though small indeed

As is the grass-blade’s wind-blown seed,

Is large as earth and rich as heaven.

Forget it not, O man, to whom

A gift shall fall, while yet on earth;

Yea, even to thy seven-fold birth

Recall it in the lives to come.

Who broods above a wrong in thought

Sins much; but greater sin is his

Who, fed and clothed with kindnesses,

Shall count the holy alms as naught.

Verse 2

Who dares to curse the hands that bless

Shall know of sin the deadliest cost;

The patience of the heavens is lost

Beholding man’s unthankfulness.

For he who breaks all laws may still

In Sivam’s mercy be forgiven;

But none cane save, in earth or heaven,

The wretch who answers good with ill.

Credits

Written by John Greenleaf Whittier

Words by John Greenleaf Whittier. Historical text published in The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895), “Giving and Taking”

Every text in this 1895 collected edition is by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), who died more than 133 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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