The Cradle on the Nile

Just a ba­by in a cra­dle

In the wa­ters on the Nile

Then a lead­er moves a na­tion

Like an ar­my

rank and file.

This is how God works His won­ders

Without trum­pet or dis­play

And we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

Who will solve the na­tion’s prob­lems

Level mount­ains

tame the seas

Crystallize in splen­did action

Visions of the cen­tu­ries!

Who will lead the world to­mor­row

In its up­ward

on­ward way?

Hush! we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

Lips are mold­ing now in si­lence

The il­lum­in­at­ing word—

Hearts are beat­ing splen­did mea­sures

That we nev­er yet have heard.

Comes a face with light up­on it—

God

be­hind a face of clay—

Oh

we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

On some Nile

amidst the rush­es

Dreaming

hid­den from our view

There may be a mas­ter work­man

Who shall make this old world new.

Scorn the fear of cra­ven spir­its

Heed no word the doubt­ers say

For they know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

When the night is at its deep­est

And the dark­ness Heav­en fills

There is morn­ing some­where mold­ing

Back be­hind the east­ern hills.

Never yet has lived a pha­raoh

But some Mos­es broke his sway

And we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

Earth is full of strange sur­pris­es

In her near and dist­ant isles

For the hand of God is mov­ing

Through the rush­es

on the Niles

Working out new move­ments

slow­ly

As the old­er forms de­cay

And we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

God

a boy

one wo­man mov­ing

In a path to her un­known

May eman­ci­pate a na­tion

And strike down an an­cient throne

Purposes di­vine are shap­ing

Without haste

with­out de­lay

And we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

See

a prin­cess from the rush­es

Takes one of an ali­en race

Clothes him with the roy­al pur­ple

Sets him in a lo­fty place.

He will bide his time in si­lence

Wait to hear what God will say—

Oh

we know not what is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.

To the fu­ture step right bold­ly

Hail with hope the com­ing years

There is lit­tle room for doubt­ing

There is lit­tle cause for tears;

With the day’s need comes the need­ed

At the need hour

on its way

For we know not is rock­ing

In the cra­dle of to­day.