The Rich Man and Lazarus

The rich man feasting every day, all dressed in robes so fine;

Poor Lazarus suffering at the gate, for food scraps he did pine. 

When Lazarus died, the angels came to bear him all away; 

The rich man died and he sank down to fiery, bleak decay.

 

The rich man cried out in distress for Lazarus then to come

And dip cool water on his tongue, his awful pain to numb.

"For all the pleasure of your life, this poor man suffered more; 

Now he enjoys heaven here above while you know suffering sore."

 

The man then begged for Lazarus's flight to warn his brothers dear; 

"If they'll not hear the prophet's word, no messenger they'll fear." 

Let riches not your soul deceive, nor let them claim your heart,

But let your neighbor share your goods, God's blessing to impart.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2022, after Luke 16:19-31.

MUSIC: Tune NOEL, English melody, arr. Arthur Sullivan, 1874.

 

 

This text first started its life paired to another tune, but ultimately that tune needed a different kind of text. Fortunately the meter used here was a flexible one for tune matching.