Precedent
The poor man went to the rich man's doors,
'I come as Lazarus came,' he said.
The rich man turned with humble head,--
'I will send my dogs to lick your sores!'
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
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Related quotes
Why A Lifetime Of Suffering?
If you ask me why
good people must
endure a life of suffering
now I could make reply
after so many decades living
with many answers differing
I could truthfully say
in life to all eventually
comes a time of testing
causes for stumbling
Jesus said to his disciples
“It is unavoidable that causes:
for stumbling should come.
Nevertheless, woe to the one
through whom they come!
It would be of more advantage
to him if a millstone were
suspended from his neck
and he were thrown into the sea
than for him to stumble one
of these little ones.” Luke 17: 1-2.
Now hear a parable on suffering
be warned learn the moral lesson
for it seems to me all famed worlds
wealthy; are rich for but brief seasons
listen to these wise words told by Jesus
the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.
“Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man
who was splendidly clothed in purple and
fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.
At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus
who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay
there longing for scraps from the rich man’s
table, the dogs would come and lick his open
sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was
carried by the angels to be with Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried, and
his soul went to the place of the dead. There,
in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance
with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted,
‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus
over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and
cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’
(Now I do not know why angels were sent carried
Lazarus to be with Abraham surely a great reward.)
“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that
during your lifetime you had everything you wanted,
and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being
comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides,
there is a great chasm separating us. No one can
cross over to you from here, and no one can cross
over to us from there.’ (A great chasm is wages sin.)
“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham,
at least send him to my father’s home. For I have
five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they
don’t end up in this place of torment.’ (A warning.)
“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have
warned them. Your brothers can read what
they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father
Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from
the dead, then they will repent of their sins and
turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t
listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen
even if someone rises from the dead.’” This is truth,
the rich, the arrogant, are their own gods in life, to
none will they listen, deaf to the pleas of the poor.
“I have seen everything during my lifetime
of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes
in his righteousness and there is a wicked man
who prolongs his life in his wickedness.” Ecclesiastes 7: 15.
A verse proven ever more true in an age of scientific
triumph; life prolonging medical marvels.
But truth never changed, man chose to defy God
and embrace sin. If God simply wanted 'puppets'
to control, God would have made us all puppets.
Instead God created us with free choice, laugh, insult
God; call all religion myth, fairy tales; but remember,
life choices made will seal your fate for all eternity.
Quotation from the New Living Translation (NLT) Luke 16: 19-31.
The quotation from Ecclesiastes 7: 15 is from the New American Standard Bible (©1995) .
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Dog rich
Dog
Eat...
Rich food
At rich people home...
Poor man and women
Also in the world
Not eat
The dog
Rich food...
But...
Rich home dogs
Eat very very rich food...
Ok...
Dogs is rich...
Or poor...?
poem by Otteri Selvakumar
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The Damet world
Poor dog
Walking
On the street...
Rich dog
In side
The home
Sounded
Waa...wa...waa...
poor street dog
Also
Sounded...
Dog also
poor or rich...?
The damet world...!
waa waa
waaaa
Rich and poor dogs...
poem by Otteri Selvakumar
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Are you rich?
Because parents are rich
I am not rich.
Because brothers or sisters
Or in-laws are rich,
Because own children are rich
I am no richer.
Unless I myself am rich
I cannot be rich.
Too late to understand
And hence poor I went.
Agartala
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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Rich and Poor
In me a sense has felt like each,
One causes others to wonder of strange beliefs,
In a feeding are the poor,
Poor are the opposite of the Rich.
In this side of the valley,
The Rich are better at living,
In opposition to the laughter
Of the Poor.
Poor is not Rich,
And Rich carries no Wealth
Of Heavenly Times.
poem by Naveed Akram
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The Very Thing That Makes You Rich
My father told me, lying on his bed of death,
"boy," he says, "woman she's gonna make it, don't fool your self
'cause she's got something to make a man lay that money, uh, right in her hand
And the very thing that makes her rich will make you poor
The very thing that makes her rich will make you poor"
That's right!
Well, i put you behind the wheel of a deuce and a quarter, yes i did
Had you living like a rich man's daughter, yes i did, i sure did
While you were living high on the hog
You had me down here scuffling like a dog
Well, the very thing that makes you rich makes me poor
The very thing that makes you rich makes me poor
Don't you never ever make such a bad mistake
You know i'd rather climb into bed with a rattlesnake
Then to work hard every day bringing that woman all my pay
The very thing that makes you rich makes me poor,
Makes me so damn poor
The thing that makes her rich makes me poor
The very thing that makes you rich make me poor
Very thing that makes you rich makes me poor
Makes me so damned poor
Money won't change it, no no...
song performed by by Ry Cooder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little By Little
Poor man's anger rising.
The ostrich hides his head.
Soon the red blood will be boiling.
And blue blood will be dead.
While we say.
(chorus)
Little by little by little,
And stone by stone.
Rich man's mountain comes crumbling down
Poor boy sleeps on straw,
The rich boy sleeps in bed.
That fat boy fills his belly,
My poor boys's a dead,
While we say.
(chorus)
Little by little by little,
And stone by stone.
Rich man's mountain comes crumbling down.
The rich man drives his car past,
The poor man on bare feet.
That rich man do get what he wants
The poor must know defeat,
While we say.
(chorus)
Little by little by little,
And stone by stone.
Rich man's mountain comes crumbling down.
song performed by by Ub40
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Magnificat
The poor still wait
for bolted doors to open
hunger to be filled
and concern to replace
the deep scorn
of the rich, who believe
God is on their side,
who offer golden chalices
and cathedrals of crystal
to purchase
eternal life
with God, who remembers
the poor
will fill their every
need
but send away the rich
with nothing
no things to carry
in their powerful, sleek cars
to their empty houses
silent houses
stony, soulless
mansions,
nothing
but their names
on fine marble
engraved,
yet the poor watch
and still wait.
poem by Steven Federle
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Humble People
Humble people
We both are
We are humble people
We are happy
We have someone that is watching out for us
Humble people
Are much happier than those who have too much
Humble people have little but they are happy
Humble people are rich in spirit
Humble people have more friends
Than those that are rich
We are not so materialistic either
Humble people
Like to enjoy other humble people also
That is the kind of people they mix with
Humble people don’t wear any expensive clothes
Humble people are good Christians
Humble people are hungry for the word of the Lord
poem by Aldo Kraas
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The poor rich
Who is poor rich? Who is rich poor?
A lone duck among swans is poor rich.
A lone swan among ducks is rich poor.
Each circle has either of one in it.
30.05.2011
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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The pride and the vanity
Flaunt if you have it.
If you don’t, why have you it?
Pride is your opinion about yourself;
Vanity is a display
To secure others’ opinion
About you in exaltation.
If rich, be rich; it is pride.
If poor, be poor; it is pride.
The rich being humble
Itself is a vanity.
10.07.2008
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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The Poor Is Wealthy
Blessings upon them conceived,
And the rich becomes empty,
By the root of evil they are deceived.
The humble rejoice,
Knowing life in the balance
Prayers are answered with grace,
Gods will in our conscience.
Whatever you magnify,
Will become your god,
The poor is wealthy,
Sometimes they are sad.
When their eyes are wet,
Like blur violet, it's hard to be proud
Feeling totally inadequate,
The poor put their trust in God.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Those who recognize they have no credit
There is treasure stored up for them.
Some are rich and have acquired wealth,
God chosen those who are poor,
In the eyes of the world to be rich in faith,
And inherit a kingdom on the celestial shore.
poem by Gerry Legister
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Sonnet V.
Sweet Mercy! how my very heart has bled
To see thee, poor old man! and thy gray hairs
Hoar with the snowy blast; while no one cares
To clothe thy shrivelled limbs and palsied head.
My Father! throw away this tattered vest
That mocks thy shiv'ring! take my garment--use
A young man's arm! I'll melt these frozen dews
That hang from thy white beard and numb thy breast.
My Sara, too, shall tend thee, like a child:
And thou shalt talk, in our fire-side's recess,
Of purple pride, that scowls on wretchedness.--
He did not scowl, the Galilaean mild,
Who met the Lazar turned from rich man's doors,
And called him Friend, and wept upon his sores!
poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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Lazarus And A Rich Man
What meaning can you find
in a Rich Man and Lazarus
both remembered lived died?
The rich man had already received
his reward in wealth luxury lived
could not forsake now for heaven.
Jesus allowed sickness
death to claim Lazarus
proved from death Lazarus
could be resurrected
from the memorial tomb
after dead four days
Jesus had told his disciples
outspokenly “Lazarus has died,
and I rejoice on your account
that I was not there, in
order for YOU to believe.” John 11: 13-15.
Jesus had said to his disciples
“This sickness is not
with death as its object,
but for the glory of God,
in order that the Son of God
may be glorified through it.” John 11: 4.
Jesus raised Lazarus
from the dead
by the will of God
who sent forth Jesus. John 11: 41-42.
Jesus has said
“I am the resurrection
and the life. He that
exercises faith in me, even
though he dies,
will come to life; ” John 11: 25.
when we encounter
poor suffering people
we are encountering
people who are enduring
the same life that Jesus lived;
in pure ransom sacrifice died
for; and as for me I have chosen;
better a tin shack in heaven
than a mansion in hell for eternity.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Send In The Clowns
Isnt it rich? are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air,
Send in the clowns, send in the clowns,
Isnt it bliss? dont you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who cant move,
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns,
Just when Id stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted,
Was yours,
Making my entrance again with my,
Usual flair,
Sure of my lines,
No one is there,
Dont you love farce?
My fault I fear,
I thought thar youd want what I want,
Sorry my dear,
And where are the clowns?
Quick send in the clowns,
Dont bother, theyre here,
Isnt it rich? isnt it queer?
Losing my timing this late,
In my career,
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns,
(? )
Send in the clowns. (x10),
song performed by by Grace Jones
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Poor but rich
Poor but rich in flowers
I lay amongst those stems
In them burning gem's
I hear my singing, child
singing to the croaking, frogs
sweet words-
of jangled, thought!
And time I have to laze
And read a poem,
That leaves me dazed,
In humble, awe!
I'm poor, but rich in flowers…
poem by Mark Heathcote
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The Stolen God--Lazarus To Dives
We do not clamour for vengeance,
We do not whine for fear;
We have cried in the outer darkness
Where was no man to hear.
We cried to man and he heard not;
Yet we thought God heard us pray;
But our God, who loved and was sorry -
Our God is taken away.
Ours were the stream and the pasture,
Forest and fen were ours;
Ours were the wild wood-creatures,
The wild sweet berries and flowers.
You have taken our heirlooms from us,
And hardly you let us save
Enough of our woods for a cradle,
Enough of our earth for a grave.
You took the wood and the cornland,
Where still we tilled and felled;
You took the mine and quarry,
And all you took you held.
The limbs of our weanling children
You crushed in your mills of power;
And you made our bearing women toil
To the very bearing hour.
You have taken our clean quick longings,
Our joy in lover and wife,
Our hope of the sunset quiet
At the evening end of life;
You have taken the land that bore us,
Its soil and stone and sod;
You have taken our faith in each other -
And now you have taken our God.
When our God came down from Heaven
He came among men, a Man,
Eating and drinking and working
As common people can;
And the common people received Him
While the rich men turned away.
But what have we to do with a God
To whom the rich men pray?
He hangs, a dead God, on your altars,
Who lived a Man among men,
You have taken away our Lord
And we cannot find Him again.
You have not left us a handful
Of even the earth He trod . . .
You have made Him a rich man's idol
Who came as a poor man's God.
He promised the poor His heaven,
He loved and lived with the poor;
He said that the rich man's shadow
Should never darken His door:
But bishops and priests lie softly,
Drink full and are fully fed
In the Name of the Lord, who had not
Where to lay His head.
This is the God you have stolen,
As you steal all else--in His name.
You have taken the ease and the honour,
Left us the toil and the shame.
You have chosen the seat of Dives,
We lie where Lazarus lay;
But, by God, we will not yield you our God,
You shall not take Him away.
All else we had you have taken;
All else, but not this, not this.
The God of Heaven is ours, is ours,
And the poor are His, are His.
Is He ours? Is He yours? Give answer!
For both He cannot be.
And if He is ours--O you rich men,
Then whose, in God's name, are ye?
poem by Edith Nesbit
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Sonnet: The Rich and the Poor
The rich become richer and the poor poorer;
This is the way in which this world goes on!
Men may become suddenly rich, not born;
A rich man turns suddenly a beggar.
The few pennies are snatched off from the poor;
The brunt of taxes are but borne by them;
They can’t make both ends meet by any sum;
The rich hoodwink the taxman- their brother!
Will the world treat people alike ever?
All men are born unequally today;
Yet, if it happens, ’twill be a wonder;
No matter what you do, things happen this way.
The rich become richer not by real work;
The poor become poorer though they hardwork!
poem by John Celes
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Poor Folks Town
The work is hard and the hours are long
The money aint much but we get along
Were rich in things can give
That cant be bought with a dollar bill
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no carpets on the floor
Weve got wall to wall love
Who could ask for more
We got no big fine things to show
Just a place to watch our children grow
We got no big fine fancy car to drive
And no fancy clothes to keep in style
What weve got were payin on
But its mostly love that were livin on
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
Weve got a little simple church nearby
And the promise of a mansion in the sky
A heart of gold a million dollar smile
And a one way ticket to paradise
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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If i were a rich biatch!
If i was rich,
i'd buy lots of things,
glitzy bits,
and diamond rings,
there would be,
no money rashings,
i'd have to follow,
the trendy fashions,
i'd eat out in expensive places,
and you would still see,
the same old wasters,
if i were rich,
i'd have no money worries,
i would get down to the shops in a hurry,
but i'm not rich,
and i never will be,
i work hard for my money,
and that is me!
poor or rich?
i can't choose which,
but i will never be a rich biatch! !
poem by Emma Jane Rae
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