A Song for Occupations（一）

    A SONG for occupations！

    In the labor¹ of engines and trades and the labor of fields

    I find the developments，

    And find the eternal meanings.

    Workmen and Workwomen！

    Were all educations practical and ornamental² well display'd

    out of me， what would it amount to？

    Were I as the head teacher， charitable proprietor³， wise

    statesman， what would it amount to？

    Were I to you as the boss employing and paying you， would

    that satisfy you？

    The learn'd， virtuous⁴， benevolent⁵， and the usual terms，

    A man like me and never the usual terms.

    Neither a servant nor a master I，

    I take no sooner a large price than a small price， I will

    have my own whoever enjoys me，

    I will be even with you and you shall be even with me.

    If you stand at work in a shop I stand as nigh as the nighest

    in the same shop，

    If you bestow⁶ gifts on your brother or dearest friend I

    demand as good as your brother or dearest friend，

    If your lover， husband， wife， is welcome by day or night， I

    must be personally as welcome，

    If you become degraded， criminal， ill， then I become so for

    your sake，

    If you remember your foolish and outlaw'd deeds， do you think

    I cannot remember my own foolish and outlaw'd deeds？

    If you carouse⁷ at the table I carouse at the opposite side of

    the table，

    If you meet some stranger in the streets and love him or her，

    why I often meet strangers in the street and love them.

    Why what have you thought of yourself？

    Is it you then that thought yourself less？

    Is it you that thought the President greater than you？

    Or the rich better off than you？ or the educated wiser than

    you？

    （Because you are greasy⁸ or pimpled⁹， or were once drunk，

    or a thief，

    Or that you are diseas'd， or rheumatic， or a prostitute，

    Or from frivolity¹⁰ or impotence， or that you are no scholar

    and never saw your name in print，

    Do you give in that you are any less immortal¹¹？）