Faint, bleeding, of his robes bereft, <br />'Ready to perish' by the way, <br />'Mid craggy wilds by robbers left, <br />A lonely Jewish traveller lay. <br /> <br /> <br />A priest of Judah, passing by, <br />The sufferer saw, and help denied. <br />A Levite toward him turned his eye, <br />And 'passed by on the other side.' <br /> <br /> <br />A traveller from Samaria came,- <br />Whose nation's bosom long had burned <br />With hatred of the Jewish name,- <br />And toward the wounded stranger turned. <br /> <br /> <br />As nearer, on his beast, he drew, <br />A thrill of pity through him ran;- <br />He saw not there a hated Jew; <br />He only saw a suffering man. <br /> <br /> <br />He saw him;-from his own scant store <br />Of oil and wine he filled his cup, <br />From his own robe a bandage tore, <br />And bathed his wounds and bound them up; <br /> <br /> <br />On his own beast the sufferer laid, <br />And to an hospitable shed <br />Bore him,-for all his nursing paid, <br />And left him on a grateful bed. <br /> <br /> <br />'Go, do thou likewise!' Thus said He, <br />Who gave the world this touching tale;- <br />We would do likewise, Lord, till we <br />Tread, each alone, Death's shadowy vale.<br /><br />John Pierpont<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hymns-and-odes-for-charity-occasions-v/
