Against Lying

Happy the well-instructed youth
Who in his earliest infancy
Loves from his heart to speak the truth,
And, like his God, abhors a lie.

He that hath practised no deceit
With false, equivocating tongue,
Nor even durst o'erreach, or cheat.
Or slanderously his neighbour wrong:

He in the house of God shall dwell.
He on His holy hill shall rest,
The comforts of religion feel,
And then be number'd with the bless'd.

But who or guile or falsehood use,
Or take God's name in vain, or swear,
Or ever lie, themselves to' excuse.
They shall their dreadful sentence bear.

The Lord, the trae and faithful Lord,
Himself hath said that every liar
Shall surely meet his just reward,
Assign'd him in eternal fire.