Quality Of Mercy

All you hypocrites and liars

In the temple seeking gain

All you senators and lawyers

With your motives to explain



All you victims and you 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

Yes for love, if it's love, is changing but unchanged

And the quality of mercy is not strained



Hypocrites and liars

The quality of mercy is not strained

Senators and lawyers

The quality of mercy is not strained



Victims and you heroes

The quality of mercy is not strained

You murderers and martyrs

The quality of mercy is not strained



Crucify my Lord

The quality of mercy is not strained

Bind Him in chain

The quality of mercy is not strained



Three times betray Him

The quality of mercy is not strained

Justify the blame

The quality of mercy is not strained



On the just and unjust, alike it doth rain

The quality of mercy is not strained