1 Take up the White Man’s burden—

Send forth the best ye breed—

Go send your sons to exile

To serve your captives' need

5 To wait in heavy harness

On fluttered folk and wild—

Your new-caught, sullen peoples,

Half devil and half child

Take up the White Man’s burden

10 In patience to abide

To veil the threat of terror

And check the show of pride;

By open speech and simple

An hundred times made plain

15 To seek another’s profit

And work another’s gain

Take up the White Man’s burden—

And reap his old reward:

The blame of those ye better

20 The hate of those ye guard—

The cry of hosts ye humour

(Ah slowly) to the light:

"Why brought ye us from bondage,

“Our loved Egyptian night?”

25 Take up the White Man’s burden-

Have done with childish days-

The lightly proffered laurel,

The easy, ungrudged praise.

Comes now, to search your manhood

30 Through all the thankless years,

Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom,

The judgment of your peers!