The Paradoxical Commandments (the whole poem)
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
And if you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous,
Be happy anyway
The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have; it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God,
It was never between you and them anyway.
© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
And if you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous,
Be happy anyway
The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have; it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God,
It was never between you and them anyway.
© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001
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My Creed - Edgar A. Guest
To live as gently as I can;
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill
And cling to faith and honor still; To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me
Still work and hope for victory.
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill
And cling to faith and honor still; To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me
Still work and hope for victory.
To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I'm alone
As when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted, unafraid Of any step that I have made;
To be without pretense or shame,
Exactly what men think I am.
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I'm alone
As when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted, unafraid Of any step that I have made;
To be without pretense or shame,
Exactly what men think I am.
To leave some simple mark behind,
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest, generous foe,
To play my little part, nor whine That greater honors are not mine. This, I believe, is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest, generous foe,
To play my little part, nor whine That greater honors are not mine. This, I believe, is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.
Be a Friend - Edgar A. Guest
Be a friend. You don't need money: Just a disposition sunny;
Just the wish to help another Get along some way or other;
Just a kindly hand extended
Out to one who’s unbefriended;
Just the will to give or lend,
This will make you someone’s friend.
Be a friend. You don't need glory.
Friendship is a simple story.
Pass by trifling errors blindly,
Gaze on honest effort kindly,
Cheer the youth who’s bravely trying,
Pity him who’s sadly sighing;
Just a little labor spend
On the duties of a friend.
Be a friend. The pay is bigger
(Though not written by a figure)
Than is earned by people clever
In what’s merely self-endeavor.
You'Il have friends instead of neighbors
For the profits of your labors;
You'Il be richer in the end
Than a prince, if you're a friend.
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Be a friend. You don't need money: Just a disposition sunny;
Just the wish to help another Get along some way or other;
Just a kindly hand extended
Out to one who’s unbefriended;
Just the will to give or lend,
This will make you someone’s friend.
Be a friend. You don't need glory.
Friendship is a simple story.
Pass by trifling errors blindly,
Gaze on honest effort kindly,
Cheer the youth who’s bravely trying,
Pity him who’s sadly sighing;
Just a little labor spend
On the duties of a friend.
Be a friend. The pay is bigger
(Though not written by a figure)
Than is earned by people clever
In what’s merely self-endeavor.
You'Il have friends instead of neighbors
For the profits of your labors;
You'Il be richer in the end
Than a prince, if you're a friend.
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Myself - Edgar A. Guest
I have to live with myself and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don't want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
a lot of secrets about myself
and fool myself as I come and go
into thinking no one else will ever know
the kind of person I really am,
I don't want to dress up myself in shame.
I want to go out with my head erect
I want to deserve all men's respect;
but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself and so,
whatever happens I want to be
self respecting and conscience free.
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don't want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
a lot of secrets about myself
and fool myself as I come and go
into thinking no one else will ever know
the kind of person I really am,
I don't want to dress up myself in shame.
I want to go out with my head erect
I want to deserve all men's respect;
but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself and so,
whatever happens I want to be
self respecting and conscience free.
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