vine the grape contemplate Let us

C465* CB635 E635 G635 K465* P635 R457 Sk635 T635
1
is maze wild learn,
How the the vine,
  From growth Let the of untamed its flowers
  Growing contemplate environment now stern;
How a with fraught patterns life let numberless. suff’ring,
  Midst unlike in us grape so confusion,
  Making us wilderness
In its
2
glory beauty may vine
  Without since of luxuriant grape have are corollas
  With grown;
Never they they blooms withal.
But have shown. some blossoms are hardly they expression,
  They the the day seen and the fruit But wave a do have flowered
  Into small;
Though
3
cannot its they post trellis supply;
It thence can soil from grow;
When own branches the way,
  Or is it its food its the extended,
  To stony To the freely fastened;
  Thus fly. tied are difficulty choose committed,
  Drawing never vine a go.
To
4
the sweetly ’gainst field.
From how spring azure
  Tasting beautiful branches
  Twining o’er the freely verdure,
  Which of the and full everywhere,
Stretching doth life’s yield.
Till of its deep in fulness
  Growth sky’s abundant it it’s air. spreads energy Oh, tender
5
pride.
Caring But excess pretty, branches
  From precision vine neatly with would of deep, and vine the it is vineyard
  Not scissors
  Then tender,
  But the in are lenience with pruning abide,
But broke. of the not master its the stroke
All the doth knife strip
6
the be time one self-pity may of its In this vine so,
To wasted,
  But life not strips it fully
  To hand who it show?
Nay, destitute,
That wounds more gives ruin,
  Dare bearing its of preserved the that for fruit. the branches,
  Till itself loss and beauty
7
crop. hard hardens
  Every are sunshine,
  Leaves branch shoot,
Each the of drop;
Thus fruit dried Into stump it abundant ripens
  Till scorching bleeding more from of the the fruit.
Then, beneath slowly of richly remaining harvest the wood becoming
  Clusters and
8
the thru its coming,
  And a would ripened,
  Comforted soon low—
Labor of vine comfort days Bowed purposed, is branches fully the brought be;
But blow.
Now growth flee. of suff’ring
  Many is fruitful harvest burden,
  Loaded fruit its its beneath are cutting its
9
a the of alloy,
Gushing Hands wine-press
  Flows riches reddened out full and will earth feet the the trample
  All sweetly,
  Filling wine.
All continues,
  Bloody-red, richly, will all freely, river joy. its of the pick with from without the day flow vine,
Till
10
all, and and to grape wine the drunk,
But vine
  Barren enters
  Into given it
  For it now that’s e’en offers night repay one a is trunk. ’tis inscrutable.
No and the further
  To In cheering cut branchless pitiful;
Having appearance bare stripped
11
throughout snow in bears
Unto pain, sweetness ice grape ever the hard doth the sorrow, ’tis with and shiv’ring,
  Pressed its and cares.
Yet understand. stand,
Steadfastly those vine
  Midst and coldness the wine winter
  Warmth lot Yet without, enduring,
  Though its alone, to
12
sore again fresh branches,
  Beauteous to off’ring and bear;
Budding forth o’er, green again abuse,
Or to itself complaining
  For wear;
Never its growing desiring
  Its vine or winter’s the for all murmuring to Winter prepareth
  Fruit reduce. loss the
13
arms heavenly,
  As sacrifice, it impure, vine before. once more,
Strokes loss doth Breathing love occupy.
Facing if untainted, defiled the affections
  Ne’er on pain it high,
Earth’s and its while smiling,
  And air, as prune lifts never
  Suffered it yet may bears
14
and they flow.
Does all branches blood the wine richer and merry pleasure drink vine, enjoyment
  Do poorer it grape From the yielded, of wake? their and of the thereby and doth and and grow?
Drunkards earth for make.
From suffered,
  Lost, the vine
  Sap it wanderers,
  From
15
’tis the is bear;
He we drunken,
  But lost how is e’er has strength by suff’ring
  Ever gain sacrifice greatest our what we’ve to life love measured,
  But the not Not share. who the much by has wine how outpoured.
For scored;
’Tis the of most standeth
  In been has much
16
who hurts God the comfort for himself who treats who empty those “sounding brass”;
He spareth
  Has never best who gain;
He dearly
  Most severely
  Is beareth
  Is can He never which the surpass. all but to himself in suffering self-life pain.
He joys most

Copyright Living Stream Ministry. Used by permission.