NATHAN

Thus Nathan says unto his Lord the King: There were two men both dwellers in one town, The one was mighty and exceeding rich In Oxen, sheep and cattle of the field, The other poor having nor Ox, nor Calf, Nor other cattle, save one little Lamb, Which he had bought and nourished by the hand, And it grew up, and fed with him and his, And eat and drank as he and his were wont, And in his bosom slept, and was to live As was his daughter or his dearest child. There came a stranger to this wealthy man, And he refused and spared to take his own, Or of his store to dress or make him meat, But took the poor men sheep, partly poor men store, And dressed it for this strangar in his house: What (tell me) shall be done to him for this? Thou art the man, and thou hast judged thy self, David, thus say the Lord thy God by me: I thee anointed King in Israel, And saved thee from the tyranny of Saul, Thy masters house I gave thee to possess, His Wives into thy bosom did I give, And Juda and Jerusalem withal, And might (thou knowest) if this had been too small, Have given thee more. Wherefore then hast thou gone so far astray, And hast done evil, and sinned in my sighed? Uria's thou hast killed with the sword, Yea with the sword of the uncircumcised Thou hast him slain, wherefore from this day forth, The sword shall never go from thee and thine: For thou hast taken this Hethites wife to thee, Wherefore behold, I will (says Jacob's God) In thine own house stir evil up to thee, Yea I before thy face will take thy Wives, And give them to thy neighbour to possess: This shall be done to David in the day, That Israel openly may see thy shame. David stand up, Thus says the Lord by me, David the King shall live, for he hath seen The true repentant sorrow of thy heart, But for thou hast in this misdeed of thine Stirred up the enemies of Israel To triumph and blasphe me the God of hosts, And say, He set a wicked man to reign, Over his loved people and his Tribes: The child shall surely die, that erst was born, His mother's sin, his kingly father's scorn. See David how his haughty spirit mounts Even now of heighth to wield a diadem, Then make him promise that he may succeed, And rest old Israel's bones from broils of war. Yet as my lord hath said, let Salomon reign, Whom God in naming, hath anointed King. Now is he apt to learn th'eternall laws, Whose knowledge being rooted in his youth, Will beautify his age with glorious fruits, While Absalon incensed with graceless pride, Usurps and stains the kingdom with his sin, Let Salomon be made thy staff of age, Fair Israel's rest, and honour of thy raze. These violent passion come not from above, David and Bethsheeba offend the highest, To mourn in this immeasurable sort.