Bible Stories: The Story Of Susanna Poem by Dr John Celes

Susanna was a beautiful dame,
Daughter of Hilkiah;
Her parents had a righteous name,
In Mosaic laws reared, yeah!

A rich man, Joakim, married her;
They lived in Babylon;
Susanna led life in Lord’s fear,
And children too were born.

Adjoining her husband’s big house,
There was a garden fine;
Because Joakim was reputed,
Jews came to meet and dine.

Two elders made new judges then,
Came home with their law-suit;
Joakim was honorable man,
They came to see him oft.

At noon, each day, Susanna walked
Inside the garden near;
The elders eyed her while she strolled;
Their minds desired her.

Perverted soon, they failed to judge
And punished innocents;
Their eyes were always o’er the hedge
They’d lost their common-sense.

And seeing Susanna each noon,
They craved to possess her;
They did not divulge their passion:
Grew evil desire!

Ashamed to tell her of their lust,
They planned to black-mail her;
One day, they parted for food just,
Only met each other.

They hatched a plot to seize her lone,
And threaten her somehow;
Susanna came to bathe alone,
By side-gate, maids did go!

Susanna sent her maids to fetch
Her oil and ointments fast;
They closed the main-gate with good latch,
And left by side-gate past.

They did not see the elders there
Who hid to watch her bathe;
The elders watched her beauty rare:
Came out with plan, they made!

The elders told Susanna then
To lie with them or else,
They would tell she embraced a man,
And testify thus false.

Susanna sighed and deeply thought,
She was so badly caught;
If she did not obey as told,
She must welcome death bold!

She could not sin against the Lord;
Righteous was she by heart;
With grief, she wept and cried to God,
To save her for His part!

She raised a hue and cry therefore;
Elders opened main-gate;
The noise brought servants out of door
‘What terrible a fate! ’

Next day, all met at Joakim’s place,
All sad to hear the tale;
But Susanna wore brave a face;
Her parents stood to wail!

The elders told the false story-
Susanna had a man;
She locked the gate to make merry;
‘To kill her was their plan! ’

They ordered her unveiled to see
Her beauty with lust eyes;
They testified very nicely;
People believed their lies!

When asked, Susanna could not talk;
There was no man with her;
She went to garden to bathe, walk;
She didn’t do one blunder!

The assembly believed the tale:
‘Susanna was to die! ’
Young man Daniel came to her bale:
God heard her plaintive cry!

Susanna lamented to God;
Her people too all wept;
God had sent Daniel to her aid;
‘He proved they had all slept! ’

Elders had borne false witness just,
As they couldn’t have the dame;
Daniel questioned their verdict first,
Vowed to put them to shame!

He separated both elders,
Admonished them for crime;
He spoke to each in words so terse,
And gave them not much time.

He called each one in turn and asked,
“Which was the tree, they saw? ’
In blatant lies, each one had basked,
And answered wrong with awe!

One told it was a mastic tree,
Under which she embraced;
The next told it was an oak-tree,
At Susanna, he gazed.

Daniel exposed their lies clearly;
All heaved sighs of relief;
God stands by innocence truly;
Strong ought to be belief!

Both elders were put to death then,
For bearing false witness;
God doesn’t abandon righteous men,
Supreme is His kindness.

Grew Daniel in reputation;
Innocent blood was spared;
All praised him in admiration;
With wisdom, he had fared.

Adultery is mortal sin;
Who cares for this these days?
The upright people always win-
That’s what, the Bible says!


(4-10-2007)