Give us hearts to understand.
Never to take from creation's beauty
more than we give;
never to destroy wantonly
for the furtherance of greed;
Never to deny to give our hands
for the building of earth's beauty;
never to take from her what we cannot use.

Give us hearts to understand
That to destroy earth's music
is to create confusion;
that to wreck her appearance
is to blind us to beauty;
That to callously pollute her fragrance
is to make a house of stench;
that as we care for her she will care for us.

We have forgotten who we are.
We have sought only our own security.
We have exploited simply for our own ends.
We have distorted our knowledge.
We have abused our power.

Great Spirit, whose dry lands thirst,
Help us to find the way to refresh your lands.
Great Spirit, whose waters are choked
with debris and pollution,
help us to find the way to cleanse your waters.
Great Spirit, whose beautiful earth
grows ugly with misuse,
help us to find the way to restore beauty
to your handiwork.
Great Spirit, whose creatures
are being destroyed,
help us to find a way to replenish them.
Great Spirit, whose gifts to us are being lost
in selfishness and corruption,
help us to find the way to restore our humanity.

Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,
whose breath gives life to the world, hear me;
I need your strength and wisdom.
May I walk in Beauty.

- Big Thunder (Bedagi) -
late 19th century - Algonquin