Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 11 (Jesus and John the Baptist; woe for unrepentance; the Father in the Son)

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 11 (Jesus and John the Baptist; woe for unrepentance; the Father in the Son)

Once Jesus, his disciples, twelve, had ceased
instructing them, from there he did proceed
to teach, preach in the towns of Galilee.

When John, who was in prison, heard about
the deeds of the Messiah, he sent out
disciples, his, to ask, “Are you the one
who is to come, or, to expect someone
else, should we?” This, how Jesus, he replied,

“Go back to John, what you have heard and spied,
report: the blind, what they receive their sight,
the lame walk, those with leprosy (that blight)
are cleansed, the deaf hear and the dead are raised,
and to the poor, the good news is proclaimed.
Who does not stumble on account of me
is anyone, they richly blessed will be.”

As John’s disciples, they began to leave,
then Jesus started, to the crowd, to speak
about John. “What did you go out to see
into the wilderness? A blowing reed
swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go
out there to see? A man dressed in fine clothes?
No, those who wear fine clothes, in those of kings,
their palaces. Then what did you, to see,
go out? A prophet? Yes, I tell you and
more than a prophet. It’s about, this man,
whom it is written: ‘I, my messenger,
will send ahead of you, who will prepare
your way before you.’ Truly, I’ll inform
you, women, of, there’s never, ‘mongst those born,
than John the Baptist, risen anyone
e’er greater; yet whoever will be least
in heaven’s kingdom, greater, they, than he.
From John the Baptist’s day till present tense,
subjected to, has heaven’s kingdom been,
much violence, and people violent
have been, it, raiding. For the Prophets, wise,
and too, the Law, until John, prophesied.
And if you’re willing to accept it, he’s
the one who was to come, Elijah, the.
Whoe’er has ears, let them hear. In what way
can I compare this generation? They
are children, like, who in the marketplace
are sitting and, to others, calling out:

“‘We played the pipe for you, did that out loud,
and you did not dance; too, we sang a dirge
and even then your mourning you deferred.’

“For John came neither eating, drinking, none,
and they say, ‘He, a demon, has!’ The Son
of man came eating, drinking, they intone,
‘A glutton and a drunkard, he is both!
A friend of tax collectors, sinners too.’
But, right, by all her deeds, is wisdom proved.”

In which, most of his miracles, the towns,
had been performed, he started to denounce
them since they, afterwards, did not repent.

“Woe to you both, Bethsaida, Chorazin!
For if the miracles, Tyre, Sidon,
in you, the ones performed, they would have known,
in sackcloth, ash, they would have long ago
repented. But I tell you, it will be
more bearable for Sidon and Tyre
on judgment day than for you. Will you be,
Capernaum, to heaven, upwardly,
there, lifted? No, you’ll go to Hades, down.
For if the miracles I’d done were known
in Sodom, those, the ones I had performed
in you, it still, till now, would have remained.
But I tell you, when it comes, judgment day,
it will be bearable, for Sodom, more,
than for you. Next, then Jesus said these words:

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heav’n and earth
because you’ve hid them, from the wise and learned,
these things, yet to li’l children, them revealed.
Yes, Father, this, to do, what you were pleased.

“It’s by my Father that all things have been
committed to me. No one knows the Son
except the Father, and nobody knows
the Father ‘cept the Son and also those
to whom, him, to reveal, the Son has chose.

“All you who’re wearied, burdened, come to me,
and I will give you rest most graciously.
Upon you, take my yoke, and learn from me,
for I am gentle, humble, too, of heart.
Unto your souls, deep rest I will impart
for easy is my yoke, my burden light.”