Until thy feet have trod the Road br Advise not wayside folk, br Nor till thy back has borne the Load br Break in upon the broke. br br Chase not with undesired largesse br Of sympathy the heart br Which, knowing her own bitterness, br Presumes to dwell apart. br br Employ not that glad hand to raise br The God-forgotten head br To Heaven and all the neighbours' gaze-- br Cover thy mouth instead. br br The quivering chin, the bitten lip, br The cold and sweating brow, br Later may yearn for fellowship-- br Not now, you ass, not now! br br Time, not thy ne'er so timely speech, br Life, not thy views thereon, br Shall furnish or deny to each br His consolation. br br Or, if impelled to interfere br Exhort, uplift, advise, br Lend not a base, betraying ear br To all the victim's cries. br br Only the Lord can understand br When those first pangs begin, br How much is reflex action and br How much is really sin. br br E'en from good words thyself refrain, br And tremblingly admit br There is no anodyne for pain br Except the shock of it.