University of Virginia Library

To Israel's king thus spoke the holy seer:
‘O mighty monarch, fam'd for wisdom, hear
‘While to my lord a tale of woe I tell:
‘Two men, O king, in one fair city dwell;
‘The one is friendless, and exceeding poor,
‘The other rich, and boastful of his store:
‘Large herds of oxen in his pastures feed,
‘And flocks unnumber'd whiten every mead.
‘The poor man's stock was only one ewe-lamb
‘Of snowy fleece, wean'd lately from its dam;
‘He bought it with what treasure he could spare,
‘Ev'n all his wealth, and 'twas his only care;
‘Nurs'd by his hand, and with his children bred,
‘With them it wanton'd, and with them it fed;
‘Of his own mess it eat without controul,
‘And drank the beverage of his milky bowl;
‘Then lightly-sportful skipt, and tir'd with play,
‘Dear as a daughter in his bosom lay.
‘A traveller of no ignoble fame,
‘By chance conducted, to the rich man came;
‘Yet from his herds he could not spare an ox
‘To treat him, nor a weather from his flocks,
‘But took by cruel force, and kill'd and drest
‘The poor man's lamb to feed his pamper'd guest.’
The monarch paus'd—then made this stern reply
Incens'd: “I swear by God that rules the sky,
“The man that did this thing shall surely die:
“The lamb fourfold he likewise shall restore,
“To recompence the friendless and the poor:
“Because his heart no soft compassion felt,
“At others woe unknowing how to melt.”
‘Thou art the man, reply'd the holy seer,
‘Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, hear;
‘A king thou art, anointed at my call,
‘O'er Israel, and I rescued thee from Saul;
‘And gave thee all thy master's servants lives,
‘His large possessions, and his numerous wives:
‘Was that too little? Could'st thou more require?
‘I would have given thee all thy heart's desire.
‘Then wherefore didst thou God's commandment slight,
‘Committing this great evil in his sight?
‘Lo! thou hast robb'd Uriah of his wife,
‘Defil'd his bed, and then destroy'd his life,
‘Hast slain him with the adversary's sword:
‘Now therefore hear the judgment of the Lord,
‘And lock this awful sentence in thy heart;
“The sword shall never from thy house depart,
“For thou hast robb'd Uriah of his wife,
“Defil'd his bed, and then destroy'd his life.”
‘Thus saith the Lord, nor thou his words despise,
‘The power of evil in thy house shall rise,
‘Lo! I will take thy wives before thine eyes;
‘Thy concubines shall be in triumph led,
‘The sun shall see them in thy neighbour's bed:
‘Thou didst it secret—this thing shall be done
‘Before all Israel, and before the sun.’

Aghast, convict the mighty monarch stood,
And from his eyes stream'd sorrow in a flood;
And while a sigh repentant heav'd his breast,
He thus the anguish of his soul exprest:
‘Thy words are sharper than the two-edg'd sword,
‘For I, alas! have sinn'd against the Lord.’

Stung with remorse he mourn'd his past offence
With bitter tears, and heart-sprung penitence:
The seer then sooth'd him with this calm reply;
‘Thy sin is pardon'd, and thou shall not die.’

Thus may we clearly see each secret sin,
Warn'd by the faithful monitor within:
Thus may we, blest with bounteous grace from heaven,
Like Judah's king repent, and be forgiven.