A man about to journey far

A man about to journey far called from his slaves these three,

And told them of his firm intent for what their task would be.

They were to manage, in the measure of five, two, and one, 

His property and finances until his trip was done.

The first one, given five in trust, did manage his part well,

And made five more by his own skill to barter, buy, and sell.

The second one, in fashion same, also doubled his two.

The third one, with just one to trust, chose something else to do.

 

He took those funds and dug a hole to hide them in the ground,

Presuming that the funds he held would there be safe and sound.

And then their master did return and bade those slaves to come

And give account of how they held each their prolific sum.

 

"Well done," he told the one who doubled five to ten,

And to the one who doubled two he cried "well done" again.

The slave with one, by fear consumed, gave what he hid away

The master firmly cast him out, forbidding him to stay.

 

The gifts that we are given so, however great or small,

Are not for hiding or to hoard; such fear is not our call.

To share and trade and make them more is how we're meant to live,

So that when God bids us to act, we have so much to give.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, November 2023, after Matthew 25:14-30.

MUSIC: Tune SALVATION, Kentucky Harmony, 1816 (various harmonizations)

            alternate tune KINGSFOLD, English Country Songs, 1893; harm. Ralph 

            Vaughan Williams, 1906.

 

 

Not the easiest parable to make sense of in song. This might be one of those for revisiting in future. And I really might prefer what is listed as the alternate tune here. Either one has enough folk song/ballad quality that works to tell the story. And with the number of folk tunes that involve one or both of a couple dying from romantic disappointment or misunderstanding, the strangeness of this parable is nothing by comparison.