text_original: We know not what we ask when we pray for a child's life. We are pleading with the Good Shepherd that He will leave a little lamb in the wilderness instead of taking it into the fold. We are asking that it may tread the long, toilsome way home, instead of the short, smooth path that leads straight to rest. Surely our Lord never loves us better than when He says nay to such prayers as these.
text_transcription: WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE ASK WHEN WE PRAY FOR A CHILD'S LIFE WE ARE PLEADING WITH THE GOOD SHEPHERD THAT HE WILL LEAVE A LITTLE LAMB IN THE WILDERNESS INSTEAD OF TAKING IT INTO THE FOLD WE ARE ASKING THAT IT MAY TREAD THE LONG TOILSOME WAY HOME INSTEAD OF THE SHORT SMOOTH PATH THAT LEADS STRAIGHT TO REST SURELY OUR LORD NEVER LOVES US BETTER THAN WHEN HE SAYS NAY TO SUCH PRAYERS AS THESE
phonemes: wiː nˈoʊ nˌɑːt wʌt wiː ˈæsk wɛn wiː pɹˈeɪ fɚɹə tʃˈaɪldz lˈaɪf. wiː ɑːɹ plˈiːdɪŋ wɪððə ɡˈʊd ʃˈɛpɚd ðæt hiː wɪl lˈiːv ɐ lˈɪɾəl lˈæm ɪnðə wˈɪldɚnəs ɪnstˈɛd ʌv tˈeɪkɪŋ ɪɾ ˌɪntʊ ðə fˈoʊld. wiː ɑːɹ ˈæskɪŋ ðˌɐɾɪt mˈeɪ tɹˈɛd ðə lˈɔŋ, tˈɔɪlsʌm wˈeɪ hˈoʊm, ɪnstˈɛd ʌvðə ʃˈɔːɹt, smˈuːð pˈæθ ðæt lˈiːdz stɹˈeɪt tə ɹˈɛst. ʃˈʊɹli ˌaʊɚ lˈɔːɹd nˈɛvɚ lˈʌvz ˌʌs bˈɛɾɚ ðɐn wɛn hiː sˈɛz nˈeɪ tə sˈʌtʃ pɹˈɛɹz æz ðˈiːz.