Song #50

The Seven Children

1)
My little granny, today I found
A suggestion from our neighbor
Which could relieve us from our trouble
And from our poverty

2)
Our rich neighbor suggested
He take one of our children
To give it house and home
That is what we could do

3)
Oh Yes Anders, my good man,
I really sympathize with you
It could be done in this timely way
For both the children and myself

4)
"But your advice I cannot accept
So it seems that it would be
Best that we just remain neighbors
And not receive any of our children"

5)
Into their bedroom where they sweetly sleep
Let us go and see
Which of the dear children God has given
We could ever give to neighbor

6)
See here in her cradle, Lillie sweet
But she is so very little
We could not give her away
She is far too precious

7)
So, you say, my little Svenny
But what about your little Per?
"We could not give him away," she replied
"He is such a little boy"

8)
No, least of all could he go,
But what about Emil or Ruth?
"We couldn't give either of them," she replied
No, that would not be possible"

9)
Or Anders or Maria, then
What can we say of them?
Oh, poor Andrew is too sickly
To leave our home

10)
Maria is our glad helper
Who always works so hard
And with her beautiful looks
Is so much like her dear mother

11)
And this is Johan, our gangly son
who is always disobedient
I believe if we chose him
He would only cause big problmes

12)
No, least of all could that happen
For Johan especially has need
Of a mother's warmth
Such could not happen

13)
My dear Granny, you have said that
Although there are seven
Not one of them can be given
I now can understand that

14)
Just as a mother cannot part with her children
So the Lord cannot forget us
No, the Lord's love is also ours
In whose hands we are held

15)
O listen my friend, my feeble child
For the heavenly love of God
Thy father, holds thee alike
Though broken, you have His call

16)
So quickly come to His open arms
You have a hearty welcome there
No mother loves so well as He
Your heavenly Father, dear