A rich man was clothed in purple
and linen, O so fine
He feasted so luxuriously
everyday: all the time
At his gate was laid a man
Who was extremely poor
The poor man's name was Lazarus
And he was covered with sores
With what fell from the rich man's table
He wished he could be fed
But what he got was the dogs who came
And licked his sores instead
The poor man died and was carried
By angels to Abraham's side
The rich man too was buried:
The rich man also died
In Hades being in torment
The rich man lifted his eyes
He looked and saw Abraham far off
With Lazarus at his side
In his torment there in Hades
The rich man then called out
"Father Abraham have mercy on me"
This man began to shout
"Send Lazarus to dip the end
Of his finger in water and come
For I am in anguish in this flame
Please let him cool my tongue"
But Abraham said "Child remember
In your life you received good things
And now you are in the anguish
That living such a life brings
And Lazarus in just the same way
In his life received only bad
And now he is comforted here in heaven;
Now he has peace and is glad.
And besides that a chasm is fixed
Which is great between us and you
So that those who would pass from here to there
Are just not able to
And likewise none who would want
to cross from there to here
Can bridge this impossible gap
Or bring these two places near"
So he said "Then I beg you father
send him to my fathers home
To warn my five brothers lest to this place
Of torment they also come"
But Abraham said "They have Moses
And the prophets; let them hear them."
He said "No Father Abraham if someone goes
From the dead they will repent."
He said "If Moses and the prophets
They are not willing to hear
They'll not be convinced if someone
Should rise from the dead and appear"
