Rhyming Mark: Chapter 10.17-22

As he set off for journeying a spell
a man ran up to him, before him, knelt,
and asked, “Good Teacher, please, eternal life,
so I’d inherit it, how should I strive?”

“Why call me good?”, what Jesus then intoned,
“You know there’s no one good ‘cept God alone.
All the commandments, those, to you, are known:

“‘Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery;
your neighbors’ goods, possessions, do not steal.
Don’t bear false witness, you should not defraud.
Dishon’ring mother, father, both outlawed.’”

The man said, “Teacher, all these things I’ve kept
from my youth up.” Then Jesus, him, inspects,
felt love for him and to him, this expressed:

“One thing you lack: go sell all you possess
and give the proceeds to the needy, poor,
then treasure, great for you from heaven’s stores
and after doing that come follow me.”

But at these words the man was sad and grieved,
‘cause he was one who owned much property.

Rhyming Proverbs: Chapter 25.1-7

More Proverbs of Solomon

Of Solomon, more proverbs, what are these,
compiled by Hezekiah’s men, he’s king.

of Judah. All the matters God’s concealed,
his glory, for that; kings, too, glorify
to search a matter out. Just as they’re high,
the heavens, also, deepnesses of earth,
as well the hearts of kings cannot be searched.

From silver, where you will remove the dross,
a silversmith, a vessel, can produce;
from the king’s presence, they, you should remove,
officials, wicked, righteousness, that, through,
how his throne’s ‘stablished. Don’t exalt yourself
in the king’s presence, do not claim a place
among his great men; this to be preferred
for him to say to you, “Now come up here,”
than for him to, before his noble caste,
humiliate you, from his presence, cast.

Rhyming Proverbs: Chapter 24

Saying 20

The wicked, neither envy nor desire
their company, their hearts plot violence,
their lips talk of the trouble they’d devise.

Saying 21

A house, by wisdom, its establishment,
through understanding how it’s built, comprised.
Through knowledge, filled, its rooms, their complement,
with treasures, beautiful and rare, apprized.

Saying 22

The wise prevail through power, great, possesed,
and those with knowledge will, their strength, combine.
To wage war you’ll need guidance for success,
your vict’ry certain when more will advise.

Saying 23

It’s wisdom that’s too lofty, to attain,
for fools. In the assembly at the gate,
they must not open, let their mouths e’er gape.

Saying 24

Whoe’er plots evil, as a schemer, known.
The schemes of folly are, for certain, sin,
and people will detest a mocking man.

Saying 25

If you would falter in a troubling time,
how small your strength, its measurement defined!
Those ones you know who, to their death, are led
to slaughter, hold them back, their staggering tread.
If you say, “But we knew nothing ‘bout this,”
Does not the one who guards your life know it?
According to what we will do, repaid,
moreso when we, from righteous works, abstained?

Saying 26

My son, eat honey, for it’s good and sweet;
that from the comb’s sweet to your taste indeed,
Know also wisdom’s like’n’d to honey just for you.
If you find it, there’s future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off, eschewed.

Saying 27

Do not lurk like a thief nearby their house,
that of the righteous, or their dwelling place,
don’t plunder it, for though they may fall down
sev’n times, they always rise up once again,
but how the wicked, when calamity
will strike, then stumbling’s their capacity.

Saying 28

You shouldn’t gloat, your enemy’s confused,
their stumbling, no rejoicing in your heart,
or else the LORD will see and disapprove,
from them he’ll turn his wrath away, outward.

Saying 29

Don’t fret yourself because of evildo’rs,
no envy in your heart that makes it cramp,
their future hope, for certain, not assured,
snuffed out, what happens to the wicked’s lamp.

Saying 30

Both fear the LORD, and too, the king, my son,
officials who’re rebellious, don’t join,
for both send swift destruction, punishing,
and who knows what calamities they’ll bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

These also are the sayings of the wise:
Your biased judging is to be despised:
Whoe’er says to men, guilty: “Innocent!”,
he’s cursed by peoples, nations, they resent.
But it goes well with those who will convict
the guilty, all their blessings will be rich.
An honest answer on the lips, a kiss.
Your work outdoors, in order, you should get
your fields prepared, and after, build your house.
Don’t testify ‘gainst neighbor without cause–
would you e’er use your lips misleadingly?
Don’t say, “I’ll do to them as they’ve to me;
for what they’ve done, I will, them, full repay.”
I went past it, the sluggard’s field one day,
the vineyard passed, owned by a senseless man;
thorns had grown up and covered all his land,
the ground was covered o’er with many weeds,
in ruins, the stone wall. Everything I’d seen,
my heart applied, to all that I’d observed:
A little slumber, sleep, a lesson learned
a little folding of the hands to rest–
and poverty, just like a thief descends,
and scarcity attacks like an armed man.

The Path of Enlightenment

You seek enlightenment, you walk that path,
you’ll fail if all your efforts measure half.
And even then, before you might succeed,
you might fall several times, your heart may bleed.
The number of the times that you might fall,
it may be only once then you’ll see all,
it maybe be sev’ral, out, for help, you’ll call.
Don’t be discouraged if it seems you’ve stalled.
The path is hard and long, not always nice,
expect to fall, how high to count is thrice!
And when you fall, just keep in mind this truth:
there’s only one thing that you e’er must do,
arise again from that, your fallen place,
you must get up again and steel your face,
but then inside, the place where you should look,
if you don’t see a guidepost, there’s a book
of signs and wonders written on your heart,
divinity, the universe’s art.
Just close your eyes and daily, take some time,
o’er years, you’ll see that you are your own guide,
your inward gaze in silence will reveal,
your vision meant for all the world to heal.
You seek enlightenment, you walk that path,
you’ll fail if all your efforts measure half.

Rhyming Proverbs: Chapter 22.11

Pure-hearted man whose words, on grace, depend
will have the king as someone who’s his friend.

No Darkened Glass

That my beseeching action motivates,
the angels would, their actions, consecrate
and in accordance with what I’d express,
my pride ne’er settles anything that’s less,
and with this sacred poem, you, I’d bless
(you’d likewise pray for me, I would confess):
now in your sleep, upon your pillow, head,
to slumber, in your dreams, you’re inward lead,
and what you see, abundance everywhere,
the love of God, upon you, daughter fair,
upon you son of man, your noble stance,
no worry ever visits you again,
and from this place your visit never ends,
into your waking hour, it would extend.
In endless dreams, our resurrection place,
now in the mirror with him, face to face,
no glasses darkened, I can see straight through
those windows to your heart, that sacred view.

David Danced

Sometimes I listen to the enemy,
this morning, this was what he said to me:
“This dancing craze, you really should eschew,
on Sundays, church, religion, now renew!”
My guilt soon turned to overwhelming dread,
that I would, this activity instead,
but then a quiet voice spoke to my brain,
the voice of God, or else I was deranged,
said, “David danced,” two words in utterance,
against his accusations, my defense.