சீ’கேமிடம் சிக்கிவிடாதே!
The spring season of youth Giants like Goliath Lived In such times
It was increasingly a time of The adventurous The blasphemers The non-compliant The pleasure-seekers The lovers of good times
The Princess of the earth Is me was the thought Whatever was white was milk Was the thought
Neglecting The tender-eyed Mother, Leah And the tent-dweller Father, Jacob Notorious for their fights, The elder brothers The beloved Joseph And Benjamin,
All by herself Crossing the threshold of her Father’s house Went to Shalem A city of Shechem And casually entered it To visit the women of that land, like a bee the girl named Dinah went flying
Stepping out happily into the midst of a Crooked and different People,
The one who walked tall Jacob’s daughter, Sister of Simeon and Levi On the first day itself, got trapped with a leopardcalled Shechem
Like a Cuckoo Falling into the bushes she fell On that very day Dinah Was defiled
You would have heard of the life Of getting lost in the web (Internet, Facebook, Twitter, Email)
Have you heard About the life lost on the way?
Without knowing the Address of Jacob’s home, Hamor collided We are just Playing some game Thought Shechem And played
Can he treat Our younger sister like a prostitute? Like a raging Tsunami they surrounded, And destroyed the city, Setting it on fire, Recovering Dinah Simeon and Levi Returned home
They even overrode Nimrod Who was named a A mighty hunter Before the Lord
The defiled Dinah Turned her shepherding Brothers into instruments of cruelty
Due to Dinah’s careless Bravado The city itself became A ground for riots
The death knell rang The town became hell Everywhere was heard The wail of death.
It brings to our mind Of how the Angel of death entered The houses of the Egyptians And slayed the first-borns
Jacob’s heart Trembled uncontrollably Because of the incidents that had taken place
Without heeding to the parents’ words If you walk with pride It will come to pass That you will return home empty Is the judgement That was written that day
Whatever Lot’s wife Looked back at Disrespecting God’s commandment Would it become sin? She thought to herself
On looking back at the ruined city That she left behind Like a planted idol She turned into a pillar of salt
Pitiful!
Madame… no, no, The disrespectful wife of Lot Has even now Not yet been buried! A witness of curse Year after year She stands Even after death it does not leave her
That which made his parents Pointless Was not a victory that Samson saw, a fall Achieved not a height, Height of sorrow!
Not only did he not wait for the Elder Samuel But interfered in the Priestly gathering King Saul did not Lose money. Lost the People!
Saul who did not have any burden Lost the very kingship Of Israel
The one who should Have lived Like a city on a hill
The one who had grown higher Than the Israelites
On the Gilboa mountain He died before time He died
To hear the sound of the calling, One like Esther Who will rise in future And come to the prayer garden, My younger generation,
Just know one thing And understand this
The disguises of this world Will pass away The desire for war Will disappear
Therefore,
Let go of Experiencing temporary Sinful pleasures
Find out how it is To experience suffering Of the people of God
Focus on the Forthcoming benefits
Burning All the Worldly treasures
Count the Reproach that comes for the sake of Christ As more valuable
You are The freedom of the Lord The benefit received from the Lord Is you
Do not forget The picture you painted Is the Cornerstone
Therefore like Esther Rise up. Like Gideon Go forth
Be ready To rule Like Joseph
You were born to fly high, Not crawl around like a minibus!
Even if surrounded by The circling world Be like the breeze That does not stick to it
Even if within a shell Be like the wood apple That does not stick to it
During the journey Do not let go Like a snail Protect your holy life Till the end
Your Creator Is going to come
Ignoring the Chat sites on the web
Do not go in and out Of social networking You will disappear Think of Dinah
Young women, My sisters Who are like the four Prophesying daughters Of Philip
Protect that which has been Entrusted To you
Do not leave That also to the father
You only Should protect yourself
You should guard your purity Was what Paul wrote to Timothy
Just one life That too Passes quickly
Hand it over That is surrender It to the Lord
Like the one who is like a father Father S.J. Berchmans Like him Start kneeling at thirty
I appreciate The scientific Inventions However
Above all You, who before being Formed in your mother’s womb Were called by your name, Do not forget the Saviour who Discovered you
The Scriptures have The power To guide And to correct you
Beware of the Crowd of foxes Who think of spoiling The fragrance of your family
Stay away From the Absaloms Who think of Destroying everything That you have
Your future Will become a trembling zero Similarly
Do not get entangled in Shechem!
Do not get entangled in the ‘She Game’!
Pastor J. Israel Vidya Prakash, Living Water Ministries, Madurai 14.
Translated by Sis. Sulbi Rao B.A., Chennai
The Bible verses which helped me write: Genesis Chapter 34
Note: This poetic essay was read out at a special camp meeting held for young girls at the Jebathottam grounds, in the presence of Father S.J.Berchmans, in 2015. My thanks to Pastor Joshua J. Yestove who gave me this opportunity.