One Little Ewe

ג וְלָרָשׁ אֵין-כֹּל, כִּי אִם-כִּבְשָׂה אַחַת קְטַנָּה אֲשֶׁר קָנָה, וַיְחַיֶּהָ, וַתִּגְדַּל עִמּוֹ וְעִם-בָּנָיו יַחְדָּו; מִפִּתּוֹ תֹאכַל וּמִכֹּסוֹ תִשְׁתֶּה, וּבְחֵיקוֹ תִשְׁכָּב, וַתְּהִי-לוֹ, כְּבַת. 3 but the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared; and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

ד וַיָּבֹא הֵלֶךְ, לְאִישׁ הֶעָשִׁיר, וַיַּחְמֹל לָקַחַת מִצֹּאנוֹ וּמִבְּקָרוֹ, לַעֲשׂוֹת לָאֹרֵחַ הַבָּא-לוֹ; וַיִּקַּח, אֶת-כִּבְשַׂת הָאִישׁ הָרָאשׁ, וַיַּעֲשֶׂהָ, לָאִישׁ הַבָּא אֵלָיו. 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.'

~Samuel II, 12: 3-4

*

One little ewe you gave to me;
One little lamb had I.
And one little lamb Thou tookst from me,
So as to see me cry.

One plaintive voice in all the world;
One friend to call my own.
But now you’ve chosen to have hurled
Me so I am left alone.

Is God a rich man, then?
To steel sheep from me.
Does He do it to be cruel
Or does this set me free?

David you reproached for this;
You told him he had sinned.
But to throw me into the abyss,
Your verdict you rescind?

He shall restore the lamb fourfold;
So David did declare.
But as this drama does unfold,
You seem unaware

That God, you are a hypocrite.
You’ve done the same to me.
I wish you would choose to admit
I deserve mercy.

Not for my sake, no, my God.
For that I do not plead.
Spoil the child, spare the rod;
I know that is your creed.

But for the sake of Thy name,
And all thou didst declare.
Show yourself to be the same.
Show that you do care.