Sorrow and joy, two sisters coy

Sorrow and joy, two sisters coy,
Ay, for our hearts are fighting:
The half of our years are teen and tears,
And half are mere delighting.

So when joy's cup is brimm'd full up,
Take no thought o' the morrow:
So fine's your bliss, ye shall not miss
To have your turn wi' sorrow.

And she with ruth will teach you truth,
She is man's very med'cin:
She'll drive us straight to heav'ns high gate,
Ay, she can stuff our heads in.

Blush not nor blench with either wench,
Make neither brag nor pother:
God send you, son, enough of one
And not too much o' t'other.

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 - 1930), no title, appears in New Verses, first published 1925 [ author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "Sorrow and joy", 1935 [women's chorus a cappella], from Five Part-Songs for Women's Choir, Set I [
   text not verified 
  ]
• by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "Sorrow and joy", op. 44 no. 5, H. 162 no. 5, published 1926, 1974 [SSA chorus and strings], from Seven Partsongs, no. 5. [
   text verified 1 time
  ]

Text added to the website: 2010-04-04 00:00:00.

Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:03:06

Line count: 16
Word count: 107

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