Forgiveness
And there was a harlot, who lived in the great city, who passed her days with different men. And one of these men was richer than the others, and spake often of his father, who was a wealthy man. And she spent many days with this man, and he brought her myrrh and nard, and many other precious things besides.
And when he had spent all, he left her. Yet sometimes she thought of him, and wondered what had come of the young man. And there arose a great famine in the land, and she sold much of her treasures for food. And once when she was near the city wall, she beheld the young man, and lo he was with the swine, in the fields of a citizen of that country. The young man was starving, and would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And the harlot took him back to her rooms, and did give him bread and water, that he might live. And the young man said, I was the younger of my father's sons, And one day I said to my father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me: And not many days after I gathered all together, and took my journey here, And now I starve.
And the harlot replied in puzzlement, How many hired servants of your father's have bread enough and to spare, and thee perish with hunger! Arise and go to thy father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And the young man said, I will.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
And it came to pass that the harlot sold all her possessions for food, and she wondered one day what had come of the young man. And she made her journey to the land the young man had come from.
But when she was a little way off, the servants of the house came to chase her away, for she was a harlot and dusty with travel. And she said, Where is your master's younger son? Him it is whom I once saved from hunger and starvation. And the son came out, and he bade the servants drive her off with stones, for she was but a common whore, and he was the youngest son of a rich man. And the harlot left him.
And when he had spent all, he left her. Yet sometimes she thought of him, and wondered what had come of the young man. And there arose a great famine in the land, and she sold much of her treasures for food. And once when she was near the city wall, she beheld the young man, and lo he was with the swine, in the fields of a citizen of that country. The young man was starving, and would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And the harlot took him back to her rooms, and did give him bread and water, that he might live. And the young man said, I was the younger of my father's sons, And one day I said to my father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me: And not many days after I gathered all together, and took my journey here, And now I starve.
And the harlot replied in puzzlement, How many hired servants of your father's have bread enough and to spare, and thee perish with hunger! Arise and go to thy father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And the young man said, I will.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
And it came to pass that the harlot sold all her possessions for food, and she wondered one day what had come of the young man. And she made her journey to the land the young man had come from.
But when she was a little way off, the servants of the house came to chase her away, for she was a harlot and dusty with travel. And she said, Where is your master's younger son? Him it is whom I once saved from hunger and starvation. And the son came out, and he bade the servants drive her off with stones, for she was but a common whore, and he was the youngest son of a rich man. And the harlot left him.