Must I Regret?

I thought of others’ welfare prime; I never cared about lost time; I could have led a selfish life, And earned more wealth and faced my strife. My love for brethren filled my heart; I did not care for my own art; I tried to make the world joyful, But didn’t care of my life, woeful. Could I have spent more time for God? Could more prayers have endeared Lord? My selfless life, I do regret, And could have lessened my life’s debt! Most sins I did weren’t their worth; I could have ennobled my birth; I don’t regret my honest toil, Nor hours I burnt the mid-night oil! Why to regret about the past? This life on earth does not long last; We work to make a future bright, Escaping from darkness to light.