The Cyber Hymnal ‎#1233

1233. Dives and Lazarus

1. As it fell out upon one day,
Rich Divès made a feast,
And he invited all his friends,
And gentry of the best.

2. Then Lazarus laid him down and down
And down at Divès’ door:
Some meat and drink, brother, Diverus,
Bestow upon the poor.

3. Thou’rt none of my brothers, Lazarus,
That liest begging at my door;
No meat, nor drink will I give thee,
Nor bestow upon the poor.

4. Then Lazarus laid him down and down,
All under Divès’ wall:
Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus,
For hunger starve I shall.

5. Thou’rt none of my brothers, Lazarus,
That liest begging at my gate;
No meat, no drink will I give thee,
For Jesus Christ His sake.

6. Then Divès sent out his hungry dogs,
To bite him as he lay;
They hadn’t the power to bite one bite,
But licked his sores away.

7. Then Divès sent to his merry men,
To worry poor Lazarus away;
They’d not the power to strike one stroke,
But flung their whips away.

8. As it fell out upon one day,
Poor Lazarus sickened and died;
There came two angels out of Heaven,
His soul therein to guide.

9. Rise up! rise up! brother Lazarus,
And go along with me;
For you’ve a place prepared in Heaven,
To sit on an angel’s knee.

10. As it fell out upon one day,
Rich Divès sickened and died;
There came two serpents out of hell,
His soul therein to guide.

11. Rise up! rise up! brother Diverus,
And come along with me;
There is a place provided in hell
For wicked men like thee.

12. Then Divès looked up with his eyes
And saw poor Lazarus blest;
Give me one drop of water, brother Lazarus,
To quench my flaming thirst.

13. O, was I now but alive again
The space of one half hour!
O, that I had my peace again
Then the devil should have no power.

Text Information

• First Line: As it fell out upon one day
• Title: Dives and Lazarus
• Meter: CM
• Language: English
• Source: Traditional English carol, possibly from Herefordshire
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: DILWYN
• Composer: Anonymous
• Arranger: Ralph Vaughan Williams (ca. 1920)
• Meter: CM
• Incipit: 11555 43221 55553
• Key: F Major
• Copyright: Public Domain