Author | Topic: Add: A dialogue Between Jacob and Esau | |
dmcg | Posted - 12 Jul 03 - 06:40 pm | |
Jacob and Esau Come all who hate old Esau and Jacobs cause defend See Jacobs faithful struggle on Esau dont depend Poor Esau's weak and feeble his armour and his shield Is sure to fall in battle and he will have to yield (Jacob:) The war is now proclaim-ed the battle is begun I'm bound for full salvation with world and flesh I'm done I'll keep you at a distance to die it is your doom I'll never shed a tear for you but lay you in the tomb. (Esau:) My state is truly awful 'tis more than I can bear You doom me to destruction I'm almost in despair I want to have salvation and go to heaven too But by your cruel language my hopes you would undo. (Jacob:) Heaven is not intended for such a wretch as you There is a place prepared for all old Adam's crew I want none of your snuffles your talk will all be vain I doom you to destruction with your old Brother Cain. (Esau:) O listen to my story and hear me plead my right See what I've suffred with dont bring me to the light I want to be concealed dont bring me to disgrace, I want to have salvation when I have run my race. (Jacob:) Your race will soon be ended Salvation's not for you For death it is your portion my strength I will renew I'll slay you in the battle your torment I'll increase Now give up for you're undone you never shall have peace. (Esau:) YOu treat me more than cruel in anguish I lament You will not have compassion altho' I do repent. IF I pour out my sorrow and tell you of my pain I find you're so hard hearted your pity I cant gain (Jacob:) Pity is not intended for any of your race Destruction is determined to meet you in the face You need not plead your sorrow nor tell of my hard heart I'm hard enough to tell you from me you shall depart. (Esau:) I'm troubled to the centre I wont consent to die It looks like cruel murder you set me in a fry. I have been your companion and led you at my will And now you're se hard hearted my blood you want to spill. (Jacob:) You bllod it shall be spilled the least and last remains Now you may give the ghost up you surely shall be slain This is not all your portion to hell you've got to go With all your generation your doom'd to endless wo (Esau:) My troubles are enlarged forever I'm undone I'll plead no more for favor I'm done I'm done I'm done, I ask no more salvation I yield I yield I yield I'm sure to have damnation for I have left the field. (Jacob:) The battle is decided Old Esau's left the field No thanks for your surrender you was obliged to yield Now I'll go on to conquer dont think to rise again I have got on the armour and I intend to reign. Source: Patterson, D W, 1979, The Shaker Spiritual, Princeton University Press, New Jersey Notes: Punctuation is as it appears in the book, so there is, by modern standards, an absence of commas, full stops and apostrophes. The spelling also as given. The tune as printed is against the second and third verses. No indication is given for how the first verse should be sung. Nor are the tempos given for either 'Jacob' or 'Esau' tunes. The tempos suggested here are not based upon having heard the song elsewhere. Patterson recorded that the tunes for 'Jacob' and 'Esau' have a close secular analogue in "Jock of Hazelgreen" and "The Maid I left behind me". The earlier manuscript is dated 1836, but the song is probably considerably older. Patterson then talks about the harshness of the attacks upon the Shakers and how this led to a corresponding harshness within the Western Shaker societies and gives the following example.
There is a tendancy these days to gloss the Shaker communities into some sort of Eden or heaven on earth, where all was peace and calm. It is worth being aware of such scenes as a reminder that they were subject to violent irrationality, just like the rest of us. Database entry is here. | ||
masato sakurai | Posted - 15 Jul 03 - 04:23 pm | |
The orginal title is "A Dialogue Between Jacob & Esau." Notes (p. 461) say: Analogues: "Jock o' Hazeldean" in Bronson, Traditional Tunes, IV, 401, no. 28, and "The Maid I Left Behind" in Emelyn E. Gardner and Geraldine J. Chickering, Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan (Ann Arbor, 1939), p. 98. |