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169
DIVES AND LAZARUS.
Dives put on his purple robes, and linen white and fine,
With costly jewels on his hands, and sate him down to dine.
In a crimson chair of state he sate, and cushions many a one
Were ranged around, and on the floor, to set his feet upon.
There were dishes of the wild fowl, and dishes of the tame,
And flesh of kine, and curious meats, that on the table came;
From plates of ruddy gold he ate, with forks of silver fine;
And drank from out a crystal cup the bright and foaming wine.
Behind him stood his serving-men, as silent as might be,
To wait upon him while he dined amid his luxury.
With costly jewels on his hands, and sate him down to dine.
In a crimson chair of state he sate, and cushions many a one
Were ranged around, and on the floor, to set his feet upon.
There were dishes of the wild fowl, and dishes of the tame,
And flesh of kine, and curious meats, that on the table came;
From plates of ruddy gold he ate, with forks of silver fine;
And drank from out a crystal cup the bright and foaming wine.
Behind him stood his serving-men, as silent as might be,
To wait upon him while he dined amid his luxury.
Now Lazarus was a beggar, a cripple weak and grey;
A childless man, too old to work, who begged beside the way;
And as he went along the road great pain on him was laid,
So on a stone he sate him down, and unto God he prayed.
'T was in the dreary winter, and on a stone he sate,
A weary, miserable man, at Dives' palace gate.
There many servants out and in were passing to and fro,
And Lazarus prayed, for love of God, some mercy they would show;
And that the small crumbs might be his that fell upon the floor,
Or he must die for lack of food beside that palace door.
A childless man, too old to work, who begged beside the way;
And as he went along the road great pain on him was laid,
So on a stone he sate him down, and unto God he prayed.
'T was in the dreary winter, and on a stone he sate,
A weary, miserable man, at Dives' palace gate.
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And Lazarus prayed, for love of God, some mercy they would show;
And that the small crumbs might be his that fell upon the floor,
Or he must die for lack of food beside that palace door.
Now Dives on a silken bed in sumptuous ease was laid,
And soft-toned lutes and dulcimers a drowsy music made;
But he heard the voice of Lazarus low-wailing where he lay,
And he said unto his serving-men, “Yon beggar drive away!”
“He is old,” said one; another spake, “He's lame, and cannot go.”
Said a third, “He craveth for the crumbs that lie the board below.”
“It matters not!” said Dives; “go, take my blood-hounds grim,
Go, take them from their kennels, and set them upon him;
And hunt him from the gate away, for while he thus doth moan
I cannot get a wink of sleep.” And so the thing was done.
But when they saw the poor old man who not a word did say,
The very dogs had pity on him, and licked him where he lay;
And in the middle of the night, sore smit with want and pain,
On the frosty earth he laid him down ne'er to rise up again.
And Dives likewise laid him down on a bed of soft delight,
Rich silver lamps were burning dim in his chamber through the night;
But a ghostly form stole softly in, and the curtains drew aside,
And laid his hand on Dives' heart; and Dives likewise died.
And soft-toned lutes and dulcimers a drowsy music made;
But he heard the voice of Lazarus low-wailing where he lay,
And he said unto his serving-men, “Yon beggar drive away!”
“He is old,” said one; another spake, “He's lame, and cannot go.”
Said a third, “He craveth for the crumbs that lie the board below.”
“It matters not!” said Dives; “go, take my blood-hounds grim,
Go, take them from their kennels, and set them upon him;
And hunt him from the gate away, for while he thus doth moan
I cannot get a wink of sleep.” And so the thing was done.
But when they saw the poor old man who not a word did say,
The very dogs had pity on him, and licked him where he lay;
And in the middle of the night, sore smit with want and pain,
On the frosty earth he laid him down ne'er to rise up again.
And Dives likewise laid him down on a bed of soft delight,
Rich silver lamps were burning dim in his chamber through the night;
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And laid his hand on Dives' heart; and Dives likewise died.
Then burning guilt, like heavy lead, upon his soul was laid,
And down and down, yet lower and lower, to the lowest depth of shade
Went the soul of wicked Dives, like a rock into the sea,
To the depths of woe, where troubled souls bewail their misery.
His eyes he wildly opened in a gulf of flaming levin,
And afar he saw, so green and cool, the pleasant land of heaven;
A broad, clear river went winding there, and trees grew on its brim;
There stood the beggar Lazarus, and Abraham talked with him.
“Oh! father,” then said Dives, “let Lazarus come along,
And bring one drop of water to cool my burning tongue,
For there is torment in this flame, which burneth evermore.”
Said Abraham, “Dives, think upon the days that now are o'er:
Thou hadst thy comfortable things, water, and food, and wine;
Didst deck thyself in costly robes, purple and linen fine;
Yet was thy heart an evil heart amid thy pomp and gold,
And Lazarus sate before thy gate, despised, and poor, and old;
A beggar whom thy dogs did hunt, and whom thou didst revile,
Wretched and weak, yet praising God with thankful heart the while.
Now in the blooming land of heaven great comfort doth he know,
And thou must lie 'mid torment, in the burning seas below.
Beside all this, there is a gulf that lieth us between,
A boundless gulf o'er which the wing of angel ne'er hath been.”
So Dives saw them pass away from the clear river's shore,
And angels many, on snowy wings, the beggar Lazarus bore.
And down and down, yet lower and lower, to the lowest depth of shade
Went the soul of wicked Dives, like a rock into the sea,
To the depths of woe, where troubled souls bewail their misery.
His eyes he wildly opened in a gulf of flaming levin,
And afar he saw, so green and cool, the pleasant land of heaven;
A broad, clear river went winding there, and trees grew on its brim;
There stood the beggar Lazarus, and Abraham talked with him.
“Oh! father,” then said Dives, “let Lazarus come along,
And bring one drop of water to cool my burning tongue,
For there is torment in this flame, which burneth evermore.”
Said Abraham, “Dives, think upon the days that now are o'er:
Thou hadst thy comfortable things, water, and food, and wine;
Didst deck thyself in costly robes, purple and linen fine;
Yet was thy heart an evil heart amid thy pomp and gold,
And Lazarus sate before thy gate, despised, and poor, and old;
A beggar whom thy dogs did hunt, and whom thou didst revile,
Wretched and weak, yet praising God with thankful heart the while.
172
And thou must lie 'mid torment, in the burning seas below.
Beside all this, there is a gulf that lieth us between,
A boundless gulf o'er which the wing of angel ne'er hath been.”
So Dives saw them pass away from the clear river's shore,
And angels many, on snowy wings, the beggar Lazarus bore.
1829
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