Part Of The Twelfth Chapter Of The Second Book Of Samuel Poem by Cornelius Arnold

Nathan received his Orders from above,
To go to David and his Crime reprove;
Attend great King! to what I shall unfold,
And briefly thus the well wrought Fable told.


Two certain Men in one fair City dwelt,
One Plenty cheer'd, Content the other felt;
This rich in Numbers of the fleecy Flock,
One little Lamb was all the other's Stock;
Of Food and Cup the little Lamb had Share,
The bleating Innocent his only Care;
He lov'd it, fed it, laid it in his Breast,
(The friendly Bosom fittest Place for Rest)
Thus pleas'd and happy in his humble Store,
He thank'd kind Providence, nor ask'd for more:
It chanc'd a Traveller to the rich Man came,
The Laws of Hospitality to claim;
Received kindly by his wealthy Host,
A welcome Guest but at another's Cost;
For his own Flock he spared, and with Haste,
Killed the poor Man's Lamb for his Repast;
Then David's Anger kindled at the Fact,
His shudd'ring Soul disdain'd the sordid Act;
Resentment shot like Lightning thro' his Eyes,
The Man that's done this Deed, he surely dies;
No Spark of gen'rous Pity in his Breast,
Pleading within to spare the Poor distrest;
As for the Lamb, fourfold shall be restor'd-
Thou art the Man, said Nathan-thus the Lord-
I made thee King o're Israel, and from Saul,
Turned the pointed Jav'lin to the Wall;
Thy Master's House and Wives I gave to Thee;
Israel, nay Judah too at my Decree,
Their Lord confess, and prostrate bow to Thee:
If these my Favours had been thought too poor,
For David's Sake I would have added more;
Why hast thou then despis'd the Lord of Might,
And done this Evil in thy Maker's Sight?
With Ammon's Sword you took Uriah's Life,
In wanton Lust you robb'd him of his Wife;
The Sword, the brandish'd Spear, the fatal Dart,
From David's future House shall ne'er depart;
Thus saith the Lord, for this thy cruel Deed,
Unnumber'd Ills and homebred Woes succeed;
Thy Wives I'll take, and they shall yield their Charms,
Their glowing Beauties to thy Neighbour's Arms;
Thou didst thy Crime with secret Care conceal,
I to all Israel will thy Shame reveal.
Thus self-condemn'd, opprest with conscious Woes,
With swelling Sighs his manly Bosom rose;
The streaming Eye confest the lab'ring Heart,
Repentant now and humble for his Fault;
I have sinned against the Lord-
Then Nathan thus-Your Lamentation cease,
Receive the Balm of Pardon and of Peace;
The Lord thy God hath heard thy humble Cry;
The Lord in Mercy saith, Thou shalt not die;
Howbeit, by this Offence thou'st given Cause,
Unto the Heathen to blaspheme my Laws;
My righteous Vengeance I will strait prepare;
To strike the Child thy Fondness fain would spare,
The just Decree as soon perform'd as spoke;
The destin'd Infant felt the fatal Stroke;
The tedious Night and melancholly Day,
In humble Sorrow David prostrate lay;
Besought the Lord with never-ceasing Pray'r,
To spare the Child, and Israel's future Heir:
The Elders kind Persuasions were in vain,
He touch'd no Bread, but nourish'd Grief and Pain;
But God in pity, ever kind and just,
Recall'd the Infant to its Parent Dust:
By Sighs and Whispers David learnt his Fate,
And chearfully resum'd his former State;
In haste from off the Earth's cold Bosom rose,
He wash'd, anointed, chang'd with Joy his Cloaths;
Into the awful House of God he came,
And rendred Praises to his holy Name;
His Servants wond'ring, said-the Child alive,
You fasted, wept and persever'd in Grief;
Now dead, you seem to triumph in your Loss;
This is a Mystery to your Friends and us.
David then spake-While yet the Child did live,
I fasted, wept, and did not cease to grieve;
As God is gracious, so I did not know,
But he in Pity would have spar'd the Blow;
Now Grief is fruitless, Sighs and Tears are vain,
Nor Sighs, nor Tears, will bring him back again;
When I go hence I may the Dear One see,
Never, ah! never will he come to me:
In his glad Face now sparkling Joys appear,
Of new Delights his Bathesheba must share;
Israel be glad, proclaim with cheerful Horn,
Your Infant King, your Solomon is born.