Whoever is not with me is against me
And whoever does not gather with me scatters
What is it that you expect to see
When your house and your land is in tatters?
Truly, truly, I say to you
Have I conveyed that what I say is true?
Whoever receives the one he sends receives him
So listen to your heart, and the voice within
And whoever receives him receives the one who sent him
So be receptive, or you won’t hear the hymn
And whatever town or village I enter
Whether it’s a remote and rustic village, or a bustling city center
I find out who is worthy in it and stay there until I depart
This is my style, inherited from an ancient wisdom and a profound art
As I enter the house, I greet it
I see if I am given some wine, or offered a place to sit
And if the house is worthy, I let my peace come upon it
I don’t hold back, but rather make my kindness explicit
But if it is not worthy, I let my peace return to me
I snap my fingers, counting one, two, three
And if anyone will not receive me or listen to my words
But throws them in the garbage like rotten turds
I shake off the dust from my feet when I leave that house or town
I can’t say I like doing it, and am always wearing a frown
Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment
That day of terrible pain and irresoluble predicament
For the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town
When everything is ripped inside out and thrown upsidedown
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child
I reasoned like a child, during those days when I was crazy and wild
When I became a man, I gave up childish ways
You may think I’m still crazy, but I’ve found wisdom in my days
So if you are offering your gift at the altar
Don’t let the voice of the pure child within you be silent and falter
And there remember that your brother has something against you
Don’t be complacent or lazy, but understand there is something to do
Leave your gift there before the altar and go
Don’t just take it from me, the King of the Universe says so
First be reconciled to your brother
Not your boss or your business partner or some such other
And then come and offer your gift
You can pay heed to the customs afterward; your feet are swift
Behold, your house is forsaken
The purity within you is buried
The wisdom of your youth has been taken
But consider yourself charged, and your conscience queried
And I tell you, you will not see me until you say
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Bellowing it loudly while you speak and while you pray
Because my words and deeds strike like a sword