the complete poetical works-第142节
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Eternal life？
CHRISTUS。
Why callest thou me good？
There is none good but one； and that is God。
If thou wilt enter into life eternal；
Keep the commandments。
YOUNG RULER。
Which of them？
CHRISTUS。
Thou shalt not
Commit adultery； thou shalt not kill；
Thou shalt not steal； thou shalt not bear false witness；
Honor thy father and thy mother； and love
Thy neighbor as thyself。
YOUNG RULER。
From my youth up
All these things have I kept。 What lack I yet？
JOHN。
With what divine compassion in his eyes
The Master looks upon this eager youth；
As if he loved him！
CHRISTUS。
Wouldst thou perfect be；
Sell all thou hast； and give it to the poor；
And come； take up thy cross； and follow me；
And thou shalt have thy treasure in the heavens。
JOHN。
Behold； how sorrowful he turns away！
CHRISTUS。
Children！ how hard it is for them that trust
In riches to enter into the kingdom of God！
'T is easier for a camel to go through
A needle's eye； than for the rich to enter
The kingdom of God！
JOHN。
Ah； who then can be saved？
CHRISTUS。
With men this is indeed impossible；
But unto God all things are possible！
PETER。
Behold； we have left all； and followed thee。
What shall we have therefor？
CHRISTUS。
Eternal life。
IX
AT BETHANY
MARTHA busy about household affairs。 MARY sitting at the feet of
CHRISTUS。
MARTHA。
She sitteth idly at the Master's feet。
And troubles not herself with household cares。
'T is the old story。 When a guest arrives
She gives up all to be with him； while I
Must be the drudge； make ready the guest…chamber；
Prepare the food； set everything in order；
And see that naught is wanting in the house。
She shows her love by words； and I by works。
MARY。
O Master！ when thou comest； it is always
A Sabbath in the house。 I cannot work；
I must sit at thy feet； must see thee； hear thee！
I have a feeble； wayward； doubting heart；
Incapable of endurance or great thoughts；
Striving for something that it cannot reach；
Baffled and disappointed； wounded； hungry；
And only when I hear thee am I happy；
And only when I see thee am at peace！
Stronger than I； and wiser； and far better
In every manner； is my sister Martha。
Thou seest how well she orders everything
To make thee welcome； how she comes and goes；
Careful and cumbered ever with much serving；
While I but welcome thee with foolish words！
Whene'er thou speakest to me； I am happy；
When thou art silent； I am satisfied。
Thy presence is enough。 I ask no more。
Only to be with thee； only to see thee；
Sufficeth me。 My heart is then at rest。
I wonder I am worthy of so much。
MARTHA。
Lord； dost thou care not that my sister Mary
Hath left me thus to wait on thee alone？
I pray thee； bid her help me。
CHRISTUS。
Martha； Martha；
Careful and troubled about many things
Art thou； and yet one thing alone is needful！
Thy sister Mary hath chosen that good part；
Which never shall be taken away from her！
X
BORN BLIND
A JEW。
Who is this beggar blinking in the sun？
Is it not he who used to sit and beg
By the Gate Beautiful？
ANOTHER。
It is the same。
A THIRD。
It is not he； but like him； for that beggar
Was blind from birth。 It cannot be the same。
THE BEGGAR。
Yea； I am he。
A JEW。
How have thine eyes been opened？
THE BEGGAR。
A man that is called Jesus made a clay
And put it on mine eyes； and said to me：
Go to Siloam's Pool and wash thyself。
I went and washed； and I received my sight。
A JEW。
Where is he？
THE BEGGAR。
I know not。
PHARISEES。
What is this crowd
Gathered about a beggar？ What has happened？
A JEW。
Here is a man who hath been blind from birth；
And now he sees。 He says a man called Jesus
Hath healed him。
PHARISEES。
As God liveth； the Nazarene！
How was this done？
THE BEGGAR。
Rabboni； he put clay
Upon mine eyes； I washed； and now I see。
PHARISEES。
When did he this？
THE BEGGAR。
Rabboni； yesterday。
PHARISEES。
The Sabbath day。 This man is not of God；
Because he keepeth not the Sabbath day！
A JEW。
How can a man that is a sinner do
Such miracles？
PHARISEES。
What dost thou say of him
That hath restored thy sight？
THE BEGGAR。
He is a Prophet。
A JEW。
This is a wonderful story； but not true；
A beggar's fiction。 He was not born blind；
And never has been blind！
OTHERS。
Here are his parents。
Ask them。
PHARISEES。
Is this your son？
THE PARENTS。
Rabboni； yea；
We know this is our son。
PHARISEES。
Was he born blind？
THE PARENTS。
He was born blind。
PHARISEES。
Then how doth he now see？
THE PARENTS； aside。
What answer shall we make？ If we confess
It was the Christ； we shall be driven forth
Out of the Synagogue！
We know； Rabboni；
This is our son； and that he was born blind；
But by what means he seeth； we know not；
Or who his eyes hath opened； we know not。
He is of age； ask him； we cannot say；
He shall speak for himself。
PHARISEES。
Give God the praise！
We know the man that healed thee is a sinner！
THE BEGGAR。
Whether He be a sinner； I know not；
One thing I know； that whereas I was blind；
I now do see。
PHARISEES。
How opened he thine eyes？
What did he do？
THE BEGGAR。
I have already told you。
Ye did not hear： why would ye hear again？
Will ye be his disciples？
PHARISEES。
God of Moses！
Are we demoniacs； are we halt or blind；
Or palsy…stricken； or lepers； or the like；
That we should join the Synagogue of Satan；
And follow jugglers？ Thou art his disciple；
But we are disciples of Moses； and we know
That God spake unto Moses； but this fellow；
We know not whence he is！
THE BEGGAR。
Why； herein is
A marvellous thing！ Ye know not whence he is；
Yet he hath opened mine eyes！ We know that God
Heareth not sinners； but if any man
Doeth God's will； and is his worshipper；
Him doth he hear。 Oh； since the world began
It was not heard that any man hath opened
The eyes of one that was born blind。 If He
Were not of God； surely he could do nothing！
PHARISEES。
Thou； who wast altogether born in sins
And in iniquities； dost thou teach us？
Away with thee out of the holy places；
Thou reprobate； thou beggar； thou blasphemer！
THE BEGGAR is cast out。
XI
SIMON MAGUS AND HELEN OF TYRE
On the house…top at Endor。 Night。 A lighted lantern on a table。
SIMON。
Swift are the blessed Immortals to the mortal
That perseveres！ So doth it stand recorded
In the divine Chaldaean Oracles
Of Zoroaster； once Ezekiel's slave；
Who in his native East betook himself
To lonely meditation； and the writing
On the dried skins of oxen the Twelve Books
Of the Avesta and the Oracles！
Therefore I persevere； and I have brought thee
From the great city of Tyre； where men deride
The things they comprehend not； to this plain
Of Esdraelon； in the Hebrew tongue
Called Armageddon； and this town of Endor；
Where men believe； where all the air is full
Of marvellous traditions； and the Enchantress
That summoned up the ghost of Samuel
Is still remembered。 Thou hast seen the land；
Is it not fair to look on？
HELEN。
It is fair；
Yet not so fair as Tyre。
SIMON。
Is not Mount Tabor
As beautiful as Carmel by the Sea？
HELEN。
It is too silent and too solitary；
I miss the tumult of the street； the sounds
Of traffic； and the going to and fro
Of people in gay attire； with cloaks of purple；
And gold and silver jewelry！
SIMON。
Inventions
Of Abriman； the spirit of the dark；
The Evil Spirit！
HELEN。
I regret the gossip
Of friends and neighbors at the open door
On summer nights。
SIMON。
An idle waste of time。
HELEN。
The singing and the dancing； the delight
Of music and of motion。 Woe is me；
To give up all these pleasures； and to lead
The life we lead！
SIMON。
Thou canst not raise thyself
Up to the level of my higher thought；
And though possessing thee； I still remain
Apart from thee； and with thee； am alone
In my high dreams。
HELEN。
Happier was I in Tyre。
Oh； I remember how the gallant ships
Came sailing i
