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And were your back as broad as heaven, and your purse full of gold, and did your compassion reach from here to hell itself, there is nothing you can do.

Alan Paton

Nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him if he gives too much.
ALAN PATON

Fear Give Heart Mountain Much Nor Rob Valley
When men are ruled by fear, they strive to prevent the very changes that will abate it.
ALAN PATON

Abate Change Men Prevent Rule Strive Very
There is only one way in which one can endure man’s inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one’s own life, to exemplify man’s humanity to man.
ALAN PATON

Endure Inhumanity Life One Only Own Way
One day in Johannesburg, and already the tribe was being rebuilt, the house and soul being restored.
ALAN PATON

Already Being Day One People Rebuilt Tribe
Then some unknown rebellion brewed in you, doing harm to you, though how I do not understand.
ALAN PATON

Church Hard Obedient Open Other Perhaps Quiet Understand Work
In the deserted harbour there is yet water that laps against the quays. In the dark and silent forest, there is a leaf that falls.
ALAN PATON

Against Deserted Forest Harbour Lap Quay Silent Tap
There is not much talking now. A silence falls upon them all.
ALAN PATON

All Fall Much Now Silence Talk
It was not his habit to dwell on what could have been, but what could never be.
ALAN PATON

Been Could Dwell Habit never
It is not permissible to add to one’s possesions if these things can only be done at the cost of other men.
ALAN PATON

Cost Done Men One Other Permissible Possession These Thing
And whether they do not see him there in the grass, or whether they fear to halt even a moment, but they do not wake him, they let him be.
ALAN PATON

Ehetehr Grass Halt Moment Movement See Wake
Such lightening and thunder will come there has never been seen before, bringing death and destruction.
ALAN PATON

Been Before Bring Come Death Destructive Lighten never Such Thunder
But sorrow is better than fear. For fear impoverishes always, while sorrow may enrich.
ALAN PATON

Always Better Enrich Fear Impoversih Sorrow
Cry, the beloved country, these things are not yet at an end.
ALAN PATON

Beloved Country Cry End Thing Yet
But what do they help if one seeks for counsel, for one cries this, and one cries that, and another cries something that is neither this nor that.
ALAN PATON

Another Counsel Cry Help Neither Seek Something
Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing.
ALAN PATON

Bird Land Move Sing
Fear is a journey,a terrible journey, but sorrow is at least an arrival.
ALAN PATON

Arrival Fear Journey Sorrow Terribly
Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that’s the inheritor of our fear.
ALAN PATON

Beloved Child Country Cry Fear Inheritor Unborn
Money is for buying the fruits of the earth, of the land where you were born.
ALAN PATON

Born Buy Earth Fruit Land Money
There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills.
ALAN PATON

Hill Into Lovely Road Run Xopo
I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving, they will find that we are turned to hating.
ALAN PATON

Day Fera Great Heart Love One Turn
Behind the polished panelling the white ant eats away the wood. Nothing is ever quiet, except for fools
ALAN PATON

Behind Eat Fool Nothing Panel Polish Wood
Although nothing has come yet, something is here already.
ALAN PATON

Already Although Come Nothing Something
Money is for food and clothes and comfort, and a visit to the pictures.
ALAN PATON

Clothes Comfort Food Money Picture Visit
Such development has only one true name, and that is exploitation.
ALAN PATON

As Development Exploit Name Such True
For our Lord suffered. And I come to believe that he suffered, not to save us from suffering, but to teach us how to bear suffering. For he knew that there is no life without suffering.
ALAN PATON

Believe Come Knew Lord Our Suffer
St. Francis of Assisi taught me that there is a wound in the Creation and that the greatest use we could make of our lives was to ask to be made a healer of it.
ALAN PATON

Country Creation Great Healer Make Taught Use Wound
But perhaps when you were too obedient, and did not do openly what others did, and were quiet in church and hard-working at school.
ALAN PATON

Hard Obedient Open Other Perhaps Quiet School Too Wear Work

And were your back as broad as heaven, and your purse full of gold, and did your compassion reach from here to hell itself, there is nothing you can do.

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And were your back as broad as heaven, and your purse full of gold, and did your compassion reach from here to hell itself, there is nothing you can do.

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Popular Authors

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