PLEASANT WORDS.
Reading edition
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BY CAROLINE MAY.
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Pleasant words are as an honey-comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Prov. xvi. 24.
Many truths the Wise man gives
To his sons and daughters,
As pure and useful, strong and bright,
As streams of living waters;
But one I choose from all the rest,
And call it now the very best.
Pleasant words, he says, are like
A comb of fragrant honey;
The savings-bank of thriving bees,
Whose cells contain their money,
Where they, in little space, lay up
The gains of many a flowery cup.
“Sweet to the soul,” they gently soothe
In days of bitter anguish;
“Health to the bones,” they cheer the sick
And lift the heads that languish;
And with their care-dispelling chime,
They touch the heart at any time.
O! let us then ask God to plant
In us His flowers of beauty,
And teach us to watch over them
With humble, patient duty;
Sweet flowers that grace both age and youth,
Love, meekness, gentleness and truth.
For, as honey is not found
Where no flowers are blowing,
So, unless within our hearts
Love and truth are growing,
No one upon our lips will find
“Pleasant words,” sincere and kind.
But, unlike the fragile flowers,
Who die—as soon as ever
They have given their honey up—
The more that we endeavor
To lavish kindness everywhere,
The more we still shall have to spare.
“Pleasant words!” O let us strive
To use them very often;
Other hearts they will delight,
And our own they’ll soften;
While God himself will hear above,
“Pleasant words” of truth and love.
“Pleasant words!” The river’s wave
That ripples every minute
On the shore we love so well,
Hath not such music in it;
Nor are the songs of breeze or birds,
Half so sweet as “pleasant words!”