June Tabor
Dives and Lazarus
[Verse 1]
As it fell out upon one day
Rich Diverus he made a feast
And he invited all his friends
And gentry of the best
Then Lazarus laid him down and down
Even down at Diverus' door
Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
Do bestow upon the poor
Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus
That lies begging at my door
No meat, no drink I’ll give to thee
Nor bestow upon the poor
[Verse 2]
Then Lazarus laid him down and down
Even down at Diverus' wall
Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
Or with hunger starve I shall
Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus
That lies begging at my wall
No meat, no drink I'll give to thee
But with hunger starve you shall
[Verse 3]
Then Lazarus laid him down and down
Even down at Diverus’ gate
Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
For Jesus Christ His sake
Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus
That lies begging at my gate
No meat, no drink I'll give to you
For Jesus Christ His sake
[Verse 4]
Then Diverus sent out his serving men
To whip poor Lazarus away
They had no power to whip one whip
And they threw their whips away
Then Diverus sent out his hungry dogs
To worry poor Lazarus away
But they had no power to bite one bite
And they licked his sores away
[Verse 5]
As it fell out upon one day
Poor Lazarus sickened and died
There came two angels out of Heaven
His soul thereto to guide
Rise up, rise up brother Lazarus
Come along with me
There's a place for you in Heaven
Sitting on an angel's knee
[Verse 6]
As it fell out all on one day
Diverus sickened and died
There came two serpents out of Hell
His soul thereto to guide
Rise up, rise up brother Diverus
Come along with me
There is a place for you in Hell
Sitting on a serpent's knee
[Verse 7]
Diverus lifted up his eyes
And he saw poor Lazarus blessed
A drop of water brother Lazarus
For to quench my flaming thirst
If I had as many years to live
As there are blades of grass
I would make it in my will secure
That the Devil should have no power
Hell is dark, Hell is deep
Hell is full of mice
It's a pity that any poor sinful soul
Should be barred from our saviour Christ