How blest the righteous are
          When they resign their breath!
No wonder Balaam wished to share
          In such a happy death.
 

“Oh! let me die, said he,
          The death the righteous do;
When life is ended let me be
          Found with the faithful few.”
 

The force of truth how great!
          When enemies confess,
None but the righteous whom they hate,
          A solid hope possess.
 

But Balaam’s wish was vain,
          His heart was insincere;
He thirsted for unrighteous gain,
          And sought a portion here.
 

He seemed the LORD to know,
          And to offend him loth;
But Mammon proved his overthrow,
          For none can serve them both.
 

May you, my friends, and I,
          Warning from hence receive;
If like the righteous we would die,
          To choose the life they live.