The primary inspiration for the lyrics is Robert Kennedy’s Indianapolis speech on the death of Martin Luther King Jr.
Quoting from memory and without a reference book, Kennedy makes a slight misquote of Aeschylus' Agamemnon that he renders as
Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop...
He who learns must suffer
And even in our sleep
Pain that cannot forget
Falls drop by drop upon the heart
And in our own despair
Against our will
Comes wisdom to us
By the awful grace of god
Ease your pain
I cannot
With suffering
I don't
He who learns must suffer
And even in our sleep
Pain falls drop by drop
Upon the heart
Ease your pain
I cannot
With suffering
I don't
Against our will
Wisdom comes
Wisdom Comes was written by Joe Duplantier & Mario Duplantier.
Wisdom Comes was produced by Gabriel Editions.
Gojira released Wisdom Comes on Fri Apr 18 2003.