Religion

Song 16: Against quarrelling and fighting

by Isaac Watts 1674–1748

From Divine and Moral Songs for Children (1715)

Religion

Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
For God has made them so:
Let bears and lions growl and fight,
For tis their nature, too.

But, children, you should never let
Such angry passions rise:
Your little hands were never made
To tear each other's eyes.

Let love through all your actions run,
And all your words be mild:
Live like the blessed Virgin's Son,
That sweet and lovely child.

His soul was gentle as a lamb;
And as his stature grew,
He grew in favour both with man,
And God his Father, too.

Now, Lord of all, he reigns above;
And from his heavenly throne
He sees what children dwell in love,
And marks them for his own.

MLA

Watts, Isaac. “Song 16: Against quarrelling and fighting.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/737/.

Chicago

Watts, Isaac. “Song 16: Against quarrelling and fighting.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/watts/737/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Isaac Watts