Reg
05-23-2010, 05:30 AM
"If", by Rudyard Kipling~
"IF"
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can
trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowances for their doubting too; If you can
wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about, don't deal in lies, or being hated, don't give
way to hating, and yet don't look too good, nor talk to wise; if you can dream--and not make
dreams your master; if you can think--and not make thoughts your aim; if you can meet with
triumph and disaster and treat those 2 imposters just the same; if you can bear to know the truth
you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life
to, broken, and stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools; if you can make one heap of all your
winnings, and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings,
and never breathe a word about your loss, if you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, to
serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the
will which says to them: "hold on!" if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk
with kings--nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men
count with you, but none too much; if you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds' worth
of distance run-- yours is the earth and everything in it and --which is more--you'll be a man, my
son!
"IF"
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can
trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowances for their doubting too; If you can
wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about, don't deal in lies, or being hated, don't give
way to hating, and yet don't look too good, nor talk to wise; if you can dream--and not make
dreams your master; if you can think--and not make thoughts your aim; if you can meet with
triumph and disaster and treat those 2 imposters just the same; if you can bear to know the truth
you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life
to, broken, and stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools; if you can make one heap of all your
winnings, and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings,
and never breathe a word about your loss, if you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, to
serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the
will which says to them: "hold on!" if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk
with kings--nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men
count with you, but none too much; if you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds' worth
of distance run-- yours is the earth and everything in it and --which is more--you'll be a man, my
son!