Truth

by Irene Susanna Wise

If the truth be told,
    Then arise faith.
If the answers be known,
    Then good-bye doubt.
The truth is not clearly known,
    Good-bye faith.
The answer is not always told,
    Arise doubt.

For love of Religion,
    Love of God is lost.
For love of Science,
    Love of Nature is lost.
If love of God be first,
    You have religion.
If love of Nature be first,
    you have science.

Forever the questions come and go,
Forever the wondering mind will seek,
Forever man will want to know
    What is the truth?
And forever men will "have the answer"
    That they are looking for.

Vanity, vanity,
    Meaningless vapor!
The sun rises and the sun sets,
    And hastens to do it again.
There is nothing new under the sun.
What is, has always been.