'Non Nobis Domine' (poem) written by Rudyard Kipling

Non nobis Domine!

Not unto us, O Lord!

The praise or glory be

Of any deed or word;

For in thy judgement lies

To crown or bring to nought

All knowledge or device

That man has reached or wrought.


And we confess our blame -

How all too high we hold

That noise which men call fame,

That dross which men called gold.

For these we undergo

Our hot and godless days,

But in our hearts we know

Not unto us the praise.


O Power by whom we live -

Creator, Judge, and Friend,

Upholdingly forgive

Nor fail us at the end:

But grant us well to see

In all our piteous ways -

Non noblis Domine! -

Not unto us the praise!

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