Literal Explanation
Stanza 1
If you sit down at set of sun - If you sit down at the end of the day
And count the acts that you have done, - And go over all the deeds that you have
done during the day
And, counting, find - And while counting you can remember you did
One self-denying deed, one word - An act of self sacrifice, or said a word
That eased the heart of him who heard, - That made the person who heard it
feel better
One glance most kind - A nice friendly look
That fell like sunshine where it went - That gave another person a warm feeling
Then you may count that day well spent. - Then you can consider your day good
Stanza 2
But if, through all the livelong day, - But if during the whole day
You've cheered no heart, by yea or nay - You haven't made someone happy, by
saying yes or no
If, through it all - If, when you go over all the deeds you have done during the day
You've nothing done that you can trace - You can't think of anything that you
have done
That brought the sunshine to one face - That made someone smile
No act most small - Not even the smallest thing
That helped some soul and nothing cost – That helped someone for free and
didn't cost him anything
Then count that day as worse than lost. – Then consider your day wasted