Abou Ben Adhem and the Angel (Barbara Rosen)

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• (Posted 2020-01-01)  CPDL #56469:         

Editor: John Hetland (submitted 2020-01-01).   Score information: Letter, 4 pages, 420 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Abou Ben Adhem and the Angel
Composer: Barbara Rosen
Lyricist: Leigh Hunt

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Art song

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

Composed: 2006
Description: On a poem by Leigh Hunt

Original text and translations

English text

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase)
awoke one night from a deep dream of peace
and saw, within the moonlight of the room,
making it rich, and like a lily in bloom
an angel, writing a book of gold:

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold
and to the presence in the room he said
"What writest thou?"
The vision rais'd his head
and with a look made of all sweet accord, answer'd,
"The names of those who love the Lord".
"And is mine one?" said Abou.
"Nay, not so."

Abou spoke more low, but cheerly still,
and said: "I pray thee then,
write me as one that loves his fellow men".

The angel wrote, and vanished,

The next night came again with a great wakening light
And showed the names of those whom love of God had bless'd
And lo! Ben Adhem's names
Led all the rest.