June Tabor and The Oyster Band: Dives and Lazarus

 In reference to Epictetus 59:

This has long been one of my favorite English folk songs, and this folk-rock version by June Tabor and the Oyster Band is the one that has remained in my mind for two decades.

Never confuse wealth and power with moral merit. Moral merit never has anything to do with what we have, and everything to do with what we do with what we have.

June Tabor and the Oyster Band, "Dives and Lazarus", from Freedom and Rain (1990) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjAzsqzT0CE

as it fell out upon one day
rich Diverus he made a feast
and he invited all his friends
and gentry of the best

then Lazarus laid him down and down
even down at Diverus' door
some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
do bestow upon the poor

thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus
that lies begging at my door
no meat, no drink I’ll give to thee
nor bestow upon the poor

then Lazarus laid him down and down
even down at Diverus' wall
some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
or with hunger starve I shall

thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus
that lies begging at my wall
no meat, no drink I’ll give to thee
but with hunger starve you shall

then Lazarus laid him down and down
even down at Diverus' gate
some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
for Jesus Christ His sake

thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus
that lies begging at my gate
no meat, no drink I’ll give to you
for Jesus Christ His sake

then Diverus sent out his serving men
to whip poor Lazarus away
they had no power to whip one whip
and they threw their whips away

then Diverus sent out his hungry dogs
to worry poor Lazarus away
but they had no power to bite one bite
and they licked his sores away

as it fell out upon one day
poor Lazarus sickened and died
there came two angels out of Heaven
his soul thereto to guide

rise up, rise up brother Lazarus
come along with me
there's a place for you in Heaven
sitting on an angel's knee

as it fell out all on one day
Diverus sickened and died
there came two serpents out of Hell
his soul thereto to guide

rise up, rise up brother Diverus
come along with me
there is a place for you in Hell
sitting on a serpent's knee

Diverus lifted up his eyes 
and he saw poor Lazarus blessed
a drop of water brother Lazarus
for to quench my flaming thirst

if I had as many years to live 
as there are blades of grass
I would make it in my will secure
that the Devil should have no power

Hell is dark, Hell is deep 
Hell is full of mice
it's a pity that any poor sinful soul 
should be barred from our saviour Christ

Written in 4/2013