She dwells by Great Kenhawa's side, In valleys green and cool; And all her hope and all her pride Are in the village school. Her soul, like the transparent air That robes the hills above, Though not of earth, encircles there All things with arms of love. And thus she walks among her girls With praise and mild rebukes; Subduing e'en rude village churls By her angelic looks. She reads to them at eventide Of One who came to save; To cast the captive's chains aside And liberate the slave. And oft the blessed time foretells When all men shall be free; And musical, as silver bells, Their falling chains shall be. And following her beloved Lord, In decent poverty, She makes her life one sweet record And deed of charity. For she was rich, and gave up all To break the iron bands Of those who waited in her hall, And labored in her lands. Long since beyond the Southern Sea Their outbound sails have sped, While she, in meek humility, Now earns her daily bread. It is their prayers, which never cease, That clothe her with such grace; Their blessing is the light of peace That shines upon her face.
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Authorship:
- by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The good part", appears in Poems on Slavery, first published 1842 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 - 1912), "She dwells by Great Kenhawa's side", op. 54 no. 2, published 1904 [ SATB chorus and piano or orchestra ], from Three Choral Ballads, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- RUS Russian (Русский) (Mikhail Larionovich Mikhailov) , "Благая часть, яже не отымется", first published 1861
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-10
Line count: 36
Word count: 202
Она живет у вод Кенгавы, В среде чужих детей. Ей школа — все; надежды, славы Другой не нужно ей. Как кроет всё одеждой ясной Цветущая весна, Так святостью души прекрасной Объемлет всех она. Сама с детьми в полях играет; Все с лаской жмутся к ней, И кроткий взгляд ее смиряет Упрямых дикарей. Под вечер слушать все готовы О том, кто в мир грехов Пришел снять с узника оковы, Освободить рабов. «Придет пора — все будут вольны! По всей земле — по всей — Как звон раздастся колокольный, Звук порванных цепей!» Так, следуя Христа ученью, Смиренна и бедна, Себя лишь ближним на служенье Всю обрекла она. И у нее богатство было; Но, помня божий страх, Она рабов освободила И в доме и в полях. Все за морем они, на воле, В краю своем родном; Она ж живет в смиренной доле Дневным своим трудом… Горячей силой их молитвы От бед охранена, Как ангел, средь житейской битвы Спокойна и ясна!
Confirmed with Михайлов М. Л.. Сочинения в трёх томах / Под общей редакцией Б. П. Козьмина — М.: Государственное издательство художественной литературы, 1958. — Т. 1. — pages 185—186.
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Note on TransliterationsAuthorship:
- by Mikhail Larionovich Mikhailov (1829 - 1865), "Благая часть, яже не отымется", first published 1861 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The good part", appears in Poems on Slavery, first published 1842
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-07-16
Line count: 36
Word count: 157