So Easy

So easy to say what another should do,
So easy to settle his cares,
So easy to tell him what roads to pursue,
And dispose of the burdens he bears.
It is easy to bid him be brave and strong,
And to make all his shortcomings known;
But O, it's so hard when the care and the wrong
And the dangers we face are our own.
It is easy to stand in another man's place,
When our comforts of life are assured,
And the sting of the rain beating sharp in his face
By him must be bravely endured.
It is easy to tell him the path he should take
And to bid him to laugh at his care,
But O, it's so hard when it's our hearts that ache
And we have the burdens to bear.
We all know the things that another should do,
His faults are like books on our shelves,
We can ponder them over and read and review,
But we haven't a book on ourselves.
We can settle the other man's troubles each day,
His griefs we can calmly discuss,
It is easy to sweep all his troubles away,
But we can't do the same thing for us.
The need of another it's easy to see,
When our own wants are all satisfied,
And bold and courageous it's easy to be
When it isn't our souls that are tried.
But O, it's so hard when we're stumbling along
To keep ourselves steadfast and true;
It is easy to tell someone else to be strong,
It's easier to talk than to do.