Why lament?

God made man active and free and intelligent, Of his own destiny, the artificer as well. Two paths He opened to his competent choice: One that leads him to evil; another that leads him to good. And of these the first is sweet in appearance; For it requires no effort from him who follows it: With no cares whatsoever, only to live in indolence, In brutal instincts freely to proceed, Is all that is needed. – The second path Requires a certain effort, good work in action, With attentive vigilance and scrutinizing care, Reason ever agile and instinct held in check. Man, free to choose, may give himself to the first, Stagnate in ignorance and in immorality; Preferring to duty a coarser feeling, To supreme reason, instinct and wickedness. Or indeed he can, then, lending a docile ear To a voice that says to him: “You were born to grow, And ever to progress, not held in darkness.” On the second path hold a noble longing. Upon his decision his destiny depends: Somber if it comes from an erroneous vision, Or like the joyful smiling glance of the bride Toward that happy man who inherited her heart. If you have done evil, you may in this world Acquire riches, titles, honors;

But the calm of the Spirit, and that profound pleasure That is born of the ideal, promoter of joys, Will flee forever; and the enormous remorse, Its voice will follow you even at your feasts, Cruel to mingle with a most doleful note Your songs of glory and like refrains. But when the cruel fatal hour comes to you, The Spirit free, at last, from its so cherished body, Will once more enter upon its moral course, Where truth is light and evil requires reparation, Where impure sophism, weary hypocrisy No longer have access, for all is luminous, Accusing phantom, your life of orgy Will arise before you, everywhere, anxious. Your crimes will be, rich one, your executioners. Naked I shall see you; powerful one, alone; Amazed you will flee like a doe, among the crags, From the hunter who, enraged and disordered, loses her. Perhaps that, drunk with pride and so much suffering, You will hurl against God a blaspheming cry, But your attentive conscience, at that moment, Will then raise its avenging clamor:

“Man, let your madness of blaspheming cease. “God created you free, active, intelligent, “For you He expressed His will and power, “He made you the artificer of yourself, and conscious. “You have in your will everything, at last, to transform “Your evil into joy. Beyond the uproars, Behold one who fulfilled his duty and, walking on, “Struggled much and conquered, in the conquest of the heavens. “As the price of effort the same recompense “Awaits you. – Why, then, so much lamentation? “Rise up. And to God, who is good, beg intense assistance; “Pray, work, and struggle, and the heaven you will have, then.” A Protecting Spirit.

Observation. – We do not take into account some irregularities of versification, in view of the ideas expounded.