Canton Spirituals – The Thief lyrics

Why must I be the thief,
Why must I be the thief,
Oh Lord, please won't you tell me
Why must I be the thief,
Why must I be the thief,

"Please", said today a man
And how come you're the only one
Who's beggaring, who always stays?
Why must I be the thief,

But I stop the hanging man.
How come you're the only one
Living by the open hand?
Now why must I be the thief,

Why must I be the thief,
You cursed the butterfly
And the holy man who bowed his head
Looked the Arctic height.

The thief tried that cross
To shed the other's face,
But the Jesus man said, Not now,
I'd rather not now, it's far too late,
Far too late, far too late,
Far too late, far too late,
Far too late, far too late,
Far too late.

Do what you must,
Take what you can,
Steer the part of every heart,
Every elder man, every elder man,
Every elder man.

I'm the thief, I am the thief
And you're my heart, yes, and you're my heart,
But I got you then, yes I will
'Cause you're, 'cause I missed just your flight,

Just your flight,
Fly, fly, fly, fly,
Fly, fly, fly, fly,
I'll get you late 'cause it's just goodbye,
I'll get you late, it's just goodbye,
I'll get you late, it's just goodbye.