Quote#Wisdom
All that we know of Thee, or knowing not
Quote byDinah Craik · 1826–1887
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Thirty Years, Being Poems New and Old (1880), "Our Father's Business: Holman Hunt's Picture of 'Christ in the Temple'", p. 166.
English (original)
All that we know of Thee, or knowing not Love only, waiting till the perfect time When we shall know even as we are known;— O Thou Child Jesus, Thou dost seem to say By the soft silence of these heavenly eyes (That rose out of the depths of nothingness Upon this limner's reverent soul and hand) We too should be about our father's business — O Christ, hear us!
— Dinah Craik
More from Dinah Craik
When faith and hope fail, as they do sometimes, we must try charity, which is love in action. We must speculate no more on our duty, but simply do it. When we have done it, however blindly, perhaps Heaven will show us why.
Oh, if I could live four weeks longer! but no matter, no matter!
[T]he only real parting is when there is no love left to part from.
We never know through what divine mysteries of compensation the Great Father of the universe may be carrying out His sublime plan; and those three words, "God is love," ought to contain, to every doubting soul, the solution of all things.
And when I lie in the green kirkyard, With the mould upon my breast, Say not that 'She did well — or ill,' Only, 'She did her best!'
"Get out o' Mr. Fletcher's road, ye idle, lounging, little —""Vagabond," I think the woman (Sally Walkins, once my nurse,) was going to say, but she changed her mind.