We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.
Matthew 11:17
My little brother where for art thou
A Lament by Michael the son of Enoch
1My little brother… the dreamer. My heart sinks over you… my legs give way. 2From our father’s house you came to me. It was I who sold you to Egypt. 3From the gold in our Father’s house I sold you to Aram. 4From the coffers in His Home, I sold you to Assyria.
5Three times I sold you. 6Oh my little brother your tribes are lost.
7Our Father came asking, Judah have you seen your little brother?
8I replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
9Our Father wept, “Your brother’s blood weeps from the ground where you murdered him!”
10I went to him, but he refused to be comforted, calling out, “My son Israel, my firstborn son!” 11My Father’s Spirit left His House, and I was exiled from the Beautiful Land.
11Mourned for you little brother, I did not.
12I said in my heart my brother is gone; I shall claim his birthright. 13I returned to the House of my Father. 14I said, “Father I have prepared a sacrifice before you that I may receive my inheritance.”
15But our Father replied, “Who was it that was just here? 16I have made him many nations from the Nile to the Euphrates. 17I have spread him to the east and the west. 18Out of the barren womb of Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel, I have made him a people like the stars of the sky. 19I have given everything to him and have nothing left for you!”
20When I saw my father had accepted my little brother’s sacrifice over mine, I was enraged and would not look upon you as my little brother. 21Our Father saw my heart, put his arm around me, “My son your hate has blinded you, otherwise you might see with your eyes, hear with your ears, understand with your heart, and turn and be healed. 22Recall all the stories I told you of my love for your little brother? 23Remember when I sent my servant to you with the command, love one another? 24Now come and celebrate with us! Embrace him, for your lost brother is found! He was dead and is now alive!”
25Oh my little brother Israel, it is written that when you were a child I hated you in this way, not a kind word could I say about you, 26so our Father warned me, if you bless him you will be blessed, but if you curse him you will be cursed. 27If only I had listened to my Father’s servant, judge and you will be judged, forgive and you will be forgiven. 28Was it not I your older brother who was responsible for you? 29Was It not I who was your keeper?
30But who was I?
31In my wrath and jealousy, it was I who handed you over to our eldest brother Adam who put you on the cross in the valley of Megiddo… 32the one holding the blood-stained robe in the fields of the Armageddon. 33Praise to my Father who raised my little brother, his son Israel from the dead. 34As for me I was exiled from the millennial reign my Father prepared. 35Now here am I kneeling before you on the day of judgement just as you dreamt. 36So I put on my Levitical robes and knelt before my Father, “The fault is mine and mine alone let the sin of humanity fall upon me!” 37And I took upon myself the sin of the world and laid it upon the Lamb that was slain, and my great debt was forgiven.
38My little Arab brother Joseph, is it really you, the one I sold?
39My little Arab brother embraced me, “What you meant for evil God has used for good!” 40Then he took me by the hand, “Come and join me in Paradise.”