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Stories Worth Rereading
Stories Worth Rereading

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Stories Worth Rereading is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Stories Worth Rereading
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.
Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.
O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!
Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.
But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Stories Worth Rereading

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Stories Worth Rereading is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.
/noʊ ˈʌðər hænd ðaɪ ˈspeʃəl tæsk kæn duː ðoʊ ˈtrɪviəl ɪt meɪ siːm tuː ðiː/
Line 2
Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.
Line 3
O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!
Line 4
Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.
Line 5
But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

alloy noun US /ˈælɔɪ/

a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten

From this reading “But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."”

blest adjective US /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading “Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.”

canst modal verb US /kænst/

an old form of “can”, used with “thou”

From this reading “Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.”

idler noun US /ˈaɪdələr/

person who does no work

From this reading “O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!”

life's noun US /laɪfs/

possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading “O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!”

ripened adjective US /ˈraɪpənd/

of wines, fruit, cheeses; having reached a desired or final condition; (“aged” pronounced as one syllable)

From this reading “O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!”

shirk verb US /ʃɜːrk/

avoid (one's assigned duties)

From this reading “Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.”

trivial adjective US /ˈtrɪviəl/

(informal) small and of little importance

From this reading “No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.”

All words in this reading · 70

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

Ah

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

alloynounUS /ˈælɔɪ/

a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

AwaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/

-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

blestadjectiveUS /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

canstmodal verbUS /kænst/

an old form of “can”, used with “thou”

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

FathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

finishedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪnɪʃt/

(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

gavest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

God-given

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

harvest-field

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

HeavennounUS /ˈhevən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

I'm

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

idlernounUS /ˈaɪdələr/

person who does no work

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

life'snounUS /laɪfs/

possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

PerformverbUS /pərˈfɔːrm/

carry out or perform an action

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

richadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

ripenedadjectiveUS /ˈraɪpənd/

of wines, fruit, cheeses; having reached a desired or final condition; (“aged” pronounced as one syllable)

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

shirkverbUS /ʃɜːrk/

avoid (one's assigned duties)

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

sinnounUS /sɪn/

estrangement from god

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

specialadjectiveUS /ˈspeʃəl/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

ThoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Ah, sweet the thought that comes at set of sun, If finished is the work of that one day.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/

(informal) small and of little importance

From this reading No other hand thy special task can do, Though trivial it may seem to thee.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

WithoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading But O the joy Without alloy, Awaiting him who at life's close can say, "I'm ready, Father, to go home to thee; The work is finished which thou gavest me."

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Thou canst not shirk God-given work And still be blest of Heaven, from sin be free.

yieldverbUS /jiːld/

be the cause or source of

From this reading O idler in life's ripened harvest-field, Perform thy task, that rich thy work may yield!

Chapter 9 of Stories Worth Rereading by Various holds 410 sentences, grouped into 82 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 9 of Stories Worth Rereading contain?

Chapter 9 holds 410 sentences of Stories Worth Rereading, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of Stories Worth Rereading by Various exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 410 sentences, grouped into 82 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 9 of Stories Worth Rereading?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Stories Worth Rereading

Common questions about reading Stories Worth Rereading by Various on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Stories Worth Rereading?

Yes. All 5309 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9508 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Stories Worth Rereading is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9508, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Stories Worth Rereading take to read?

About 442 minutes of reading across 1062 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Stories Worth Rereading section by section

How to work through Stories Worth Rereading section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of Stories Worth Rereading to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Stories Worth Rereading

Words and structures a reader meets early in Stories Worth Rereading, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Persons
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories Worth Rereading; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stories
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories Worth Rereading; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Children
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories Worth Rereading; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earliest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories Worth Rereading; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.