Bible In Poetry: Gospel Of St. Matthew (Chapter 25) Poem by Dr John Celes

‘The Heaven’s kingdom is like ten
Virgins, who took their lamps to meet,
The bridegroom in his wedding feast;
Five were foolish but five were wise.’

‘The foolish ones went with their lamps,
Which had no oil in them at all;
The wise ones also took their lamps,
Along with oil to use in flasks.’

‘The bridegroom came a bit delayed;
The virgins felt drowsy and slept;
A cry was heard at midnight loud,
‘Behold, the bridegroom comes, meet Him! ’

The virgins woke and trimmed their lamps;
The foolish ones then asked the wise,
‘Spare us some oil to keep lamps on.’

The wise ones then replied, ‘Sorry,
We need the oil for our own lamps;
It may not be enough for both;
Go to the merchant shop and buy.’

While foolish virgins went to buy,
The bridegroom came during that time;
The ones ready, accompanied him;
The wedding hall’s door was then locked.’

The other virgins then arrived;
They cried, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door! ’
The bridegroom but replied, ‘Amen,
I say to you, I know you not! ’

‘So, stay awake for, you know not
The day, nor hour when bridegroom comes! ’

‘A man who went on a journey,
To all his servants, gave money,
As per each one’s ability.’

‘He gave five talents to the first;
Two talents to the servant next;
One talent only, to the last,
And went away immediately! ’

‘The one who got five talents made,
Another five talents by trade;
The one who had two talents too
Likewise had made another two;
The one with just one talent dug
A hole to bury it in ground.’

A long time passed; the master came
To settle accounts with servants;
He told the first who’d made five more,
‘Well done my faithful servant good;
I’ll give you better jobs to do;
Come share your master’s joy, rejoice! ’

‘He said the same to the second;
The one who got just one talent
Said, ‘Master, I know you too well.
You are a demanding person:
Harvesting where you did not plant,
Gathering when you didn’t scatter.
So, out of fear, I dug a hole
And buried it quite safely whole
Here is your talent you gave me.’

His master then replied to him,
‘You wicked, lazy servant, Oh!
Your master, when you knew so well,
Why didn’t you in a bank, put it,
So that the interest, I could get? ’

‘He took the talent from this one
And gave it to the one with ten;
The one who labors will get more;
The one with less will be made poor!
He ordered then, the lazy one,
Into the darkness, to be thrown,
Where people wail and always groan! ’

‘When Son of Man in glory comes,
His angels will surround Him then,
And He will sit in His great throne!
All nations will stand before Him,
He’ll separate one from the next,
Like shepherd does with sheep and goats.’

‘He’ll place his sheep onto His right
And place the goats onto his left;
To those on right, the king will say,
‘Ye, blessed by my Father, come,
Into the kingdom made for you,
From the beginning of the world! ’

‘For, I was hungry, you gave food;
And I was thirsty, you gave drink;
I was a stranger, you welcomed;
I lay naked and me, you clothed;
When I was ill, for me, you cared;
When in prison, visit, you paid.’

The righteous then will ask the Lord,
‘When did we feed you while hungry?
When did we offer drink in thirst?
When did we welcome you stranger?
When did we clothe you when naked?
When did we care for you when ill?
When did we see you in prison? ’

The king will say to them again,
‘Amen, I say to you, amen,
Whatev’r you did unto the least
Brothers of mine, you did for me! ’

Then he will say to ones on left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed all,
Into the fire eternal,
Prepared for Satan and devils.’

‘For, when I was in hunger great,
You never gave me food to eat;
And when in thirst, for drink, I asked,
You never cared to offer me.’

‘When like a stranger, I met you,
You never cared to welcome me;
I lay all naked, without clothes,
You never cared to spare a dress;
In prison when I became ill,
You never cared to visit me.’

They will then answer and say, ‘Lord,
When were you hungry and thirsty?
When were you naked, a stranger?
When did we fail to meet your needs? ’

He’ll answer them and say, ‘Amen,
What you didn’t do to ones the least,
You did not do unto me too! ’
‘And these will get eternal rod,
While righteous get eternal life! ’


(6-13-2007)