Playful children, we begin,
gaily running, laughing, dancing.
Life is just a toy to spin
in the sunlight brightly glancing.
Gently, gently, life flows on,
from our borning, to our ending.
When the tides of youth are strong,
life is full of fine sunrises.
Love and joy sweep us along,
pleasure has ten-thousand guises.
Gently, gently, life flows on,
from our borning, to our ending.
Then adulthood’s throne we climb,
our horizon has no ending.
All our pow’rs are in their prime,
and no longer in their spending.
Gently, gently, life flows on,
from our borning, to our ending.
As the number of our days
marks the sum of fullest measure.
Quietly we count the ways
life has filled our cup with treasure.
Gently, gently, life flows on,
from our borning, to our ending.
After this, our sojourn pass
and our soul’s returned,
from the tomb to the womb
we shall find the wealth we’ve earned.
Gently, gently, life flows on,
from our borning, to our ending