All you hypocrites and liars
In the temple seeking gain
All you senators and lawyers
With your motives to explain

All you victims and you heroes
Your petitions to complain
All you murderers and martyrs
On the fields where you lay slain

On the just and unjust, alike it doth rain
And the quality of mercy is not strained
Vengeance and revenge are just two words for pain
And the quality of mercy is not strained

Did not I crucify my Lord
Did not I bind Him in chain
Did not I three times betray Him
Three times deny His name

Did not I cast the first stone
And then justify the blame
Did not He die for my sins
But never would I do the same

I've been three times a sinner and two times a saint
And the quality of mercy is not strained
Yes for love, if it's love, is changing but unchanged
And the quality of mercy is not strained

Hypocrites and liars
The quality of mercy is not strained
Senators and lawyers
The quality of mercy is not strained

Victims and you heroes
The quality of mercy is not strained
You murderers and martyrs
The quality of mercy is not strained

Crucify my Lord
The quality of mercy is not strained
Bind Him in chain
The quality of mercy is not strained

Three times betray Him
The quality of mercy is not strained
Justify the blame
The quality of mercy is not strained

On the just and unjust, alike it doth rain
The quality of mercy is not strained