I don’t know what to say about this one.
It’s not that I don’t get it – I do. It’s an encapsulation of Confucianism, ending in the golden rule. It captures the nuggets of carefully measured wisdom and advice a Confucian parent doles out to their child, reminding them that the way out of chaos is order, and the achievement of order is relationship and right action.
And other than that, really, I don’t know what to say. Here it is.
Grieve not your heart for want of place, nor yearn for easy praise;
but fit yourself some task to do, and well employ your days.From wise and foolish both alike we should all try to learn,
for one can show us how to live, the other what to spurn.Be fair to people when they err, when good, your pleasure show;
their faults be quick to understand, in judging them be slow.But this above all else obey, it is the best of goals,
what you would wish not done to you, do not to other souls.
There’s nothing to argue with because there’s no real depth. It’s the aphorism song. It’s the be nice song.
As I said in my recent UU World article, “blech.”
(Tens – maybe hundreds – of thousands of words written between blogs, articles, essays, and sermons, and the thing I quote is “blech.” Go me.)
Anyway. It’s a lovely Southern Harmony tune and easy to sing, and for the right service on the golden rule or on compassion, this might be just fine.
