All you hypocrites and liars In the temple seeking gain All you senators and lawyers With your motives to explain All you victims and heroes Your petitions to complain All you murderers and martyrs On the fields where you lay slain
On the just and unjust alike it doth rain And the quality of mercy is not strained Vengeance and revenge are just two words for pain And the quality of mercy is not strained
Did not I crucify my Lord Did not I bind Him in chain Did not I three times betray Him Three times deny His name Did not I cast the first stone And then justify the blame Did not He die for my sins But never would I do the same
I've been three times a sinner and two times a saint And the quality of mercy is not strained Love, if it's love, is changing but unchanged And the quality of mercy is not strained