Must We Not Then in Patience Wait?

Must we not then with pa­tience wait

False to dis­ting­uish from sin­cere?

Or can we on an­oth­er’s state

Pronounce

be­fore the fruits ap­pear?

Can we the wit­ness­es re­ceive

Who of their own per­fec­tion boast

The fair­est words as fruit re­ceive?

The fair­est words are leaves at most.

How shall we then the spir­its prove?

Their act­ions with their words com­pare

And wait—till hum­blest

meek­est love

Their per­fect no­thing­ness de­clare:

But if the small­est spark of pride

Or self­ish­ness

break out at last

Set the false wit­ness­es aside;

Yet hold the truth for ev­er fast.