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 How quickly nature falls into revolt
 When gold becomes her object!
  For this the foolish overcareful fathers
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 How quickly nature falls into revolt
 When gold becomes her object!
  For this the foolish overcareful fathers
   Have broke their sleep with thoughts, their brains with care.
    Their bones with industry.
     For this they have engrossed and piled up
      The cankered heaps of strange-achieved gold;
       For this they have been thoughtful to invest
        Their sons with arts and martial exercises. 
 Stronger than thunder's winged force
 All-powerful gold can speed its course;
  Through watchful guards its passage make,
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 Stronger than thunder's winged force
 All-powerful gold can speed its course;
  Through watchful guards its passage make,
   And loves through solid walls to break.
    [Lat., Aurum per medios ire satellites
     Et perrumpere amat saxa potentius
      Ictu fulmineo.] 
Gold! Gold! Gold! Bright and yellow, hard and cold.
Gold! Gold! Gold! Bright and yellow, hard and cold.
Curst greed of gold, what crimes thy tyrant power has caused.
Curst greed of gold, what crimes thy tyrant power has caused.
A cat may look like a king.
A cat may look like a king.
Every honest miller has a golden thumb.
Every honest miller has a golden thumb.
 A thirst for gold,
 The beggar's vice, which can but overwhelm
  The meanest hearts.  
 A thirst for gold,
 The beggar's vice, which can but overwhelm
  The meanest hearts. 
 You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of 
thorns--you shall not crucify mankind upon read more 
 You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of 
thorns--you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!