I was going down the road just the other day
And somebody asked me, "How are you today?"
I said, "I'm going up the mountain, therefore to pray."

A good friend said, "Man, I'll play you some cards."
I said, "Boy, you make it sound mighty hard
But I'm going up the mountain, therefore to pray."

Another brother says, "I'll shoot you some dice."
I said "Boy, you sure do make it sound nice
But I'm heading up this mountain here, therefore to pray."

Then said a man, "Hey, let's take a shot of booze."
I said to the man, "I ain't got no time to lose
I'm going up this mountain's shoulder, therefore to pray."

Then come along a millionaire with money in his hand
He tried to hire me to lie to all my land
I told him, "I'm heading up this mountain right now, therefore to pray."

And up jumped a man with another crooked deal
I said, "Good friend, I'd rather kneel
Down along my mountaintop somewhere, therefore to pray."

I met a woman with jewelry on her finger
I said to her friend, "I ain't got no time to linger
I'm halfway up my mountainside, therefore to pray."

I next met a woman with dye combed in her hair
I learned all there was to know about women from her
So I'm up here on my mountain kneeling, therefore to pray

And next come a man with a fortune for me
I'd rather be a poor man with a conscience free
So I'm walking up my mountain right now, therefore to pray

I was going down the road just the other day
Somebody asked me, "How are you today?"
I said, "I'm going up the mountain, therefore to pray."