The hid­den years at Na­za­reth!
How deep and still they seem,
Like ri­vers flow­ing in the dark,
Or wa­ters in a dream!
Like wa­ters un­der Sy­ri­an stars
Reflecting lights above,
Repeating in their si­lent depths
The won­der of God’s love.

The hid­den years at Na­za­reth!
How deep and true they lie,
As open to the smile of God
As to the Sy­ri­an sky!
As op­en to the heart of man
As to the ge­ni­al sun,
With dreams of vast ad­ven­tur­ing,
And deeds of kind­ness done!

The hid­den years at Na­za­reth!
How ra­di­ant they rise,
With life and death in ba­lance laid
Before a lad’s clear eyes!
O soul of youth, for­ev­er choose,
Forgetting fate or fear,
To live for truth or die with God,
Who stands be­side thee here!