Verse 1

Man’s love for God is not innate;

it’s only because they fear chastisement.

Who was born loving God?

Who treats God as they treat their heart?

God’s maxim for the world is this:

No man truly loves God.

God can love or hate man forever

for God will persevere.

Man blows hot and cold toward God,

so God’s other maxim is this:

Man lacks perseverance

and cannot fulfill God’s heart.

Verse 2

God does not know why man today

cannot abide by their duty.

They do not even know

the weight of their stature.

So man still fools God,

as if all His work is in vain,

and His words are just far-off echoes,

where no one can discern the source.

God uses this as a foundation

for His third maxim:

People do not know God,

for they do not see Him.

Bridge

God’s words make man cry out.

They gripe that He is heartless,

as if they search for God’s true “love,”

but they can’t find it in His stern words.

They lose hope and complain about God.

So God’s fourth maxim for humans is this:

People are barely obedient to God,

thus they always hate Him.

Verse 3

Man is speechless when God makes demands.

They never thought a kind, good-natured God

could say such heartless words.

God then sees their hate for Him grow.

They complain and curse Heaven,

yet they won’t curse themselves.

Their love for themselves is much too great.

Outro

God sums up the meaning of life:

Man’s life is anguished and empty

because they love themselves too much.

They bring their own ruin because of their hate for God.

Adapted from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God’s Words to the Entire Universe, Introduction