Fear not to die, but rather fear to live, For death is not so grave a thing as life; The soul that God to mortal man did give Shall some day be exempt from earthly strife, And from its narrow prison cell at last It shall go forth the glorious light to see, When chains are loosened, which now hold it fast, By Death, the warden, who shall set it free; And it shall live thro’ all the days and years To know the peace of sunny Paradise, No more to be the slave of doubts and fears, Nor suffer failure when escape it tries. Earth’s blossoms die, but from the falling seeds Shall live again the pure and treasured flowers; And thus we die, but loving words and deeds Shall be immortal like this soul of ours.