The Holy Bible 2 Samuel 13: 1-22 by Robert Alter Lyrics

And it happened thereafter -- Absalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon, David's son, loved her. And Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick over Tamar his sister, for she was a virgin and it seemed beyond Amnon to do anything to her. And Amnon had a companion named Jonadab son of Shimeah brother of David, and Jonadab was a very wise man. And he said to him, "Why are you so poorly, prince, morning after morning? Will you not tell me?" And Amnon said to him, "Tamar the sister of Absalom by brother do I love." And Jonadab said to him, "Lie in your bed and play sick, and when your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Let Tamar my sister, pray, come and nourish me with food and prepare the nourishment before my eyes, so that I may see and eat from her hand." And Amnon lay down and played sick, and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, "Let Tamar my sister, pray, come, and shape a couple of heart-shaped dumplings before my eyes, that I may take nourishment from her hand." And David sent to Tamar at home, saying, "Go, pray, to the house of Amnon your brother, and prepare nourishment for him," And Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother -- he lying down -- and she took the dough and kneaded it and shaped it into hearts before his eyes and cooked the dumplings. And she took the pan and set it before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Clear our everyone around me!" and everyone around him cleared out. And Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the nourishment into the inner chamber, that I may take nourishment from your hand." And Tamar took the dumplings that she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother within the chamber. And she offered them to him to eat, and he seized her and said to her, "Come lie with me, my sister." And she said to him, "Don't, my brother, don't abuse me, for it should not be done thus in Israel, don't do this scurrilous thing. And I, where would I carry my shame? And you, you would be like one of the scurrilous fellows in Israel. And so, speak, pray, to the king, for he will not withhold me from you." And Amnon did not want to heed her voice, and he overpowered her and abused her and bedded her. And Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said, "Get up, go!" And she said to him, "Don't! -- this wrong is greater than the other you did me, to send me away now." And he did not want to heed her. And he called his lad, his attendant, and said, "Send this creature, pray, away from me and bolt the door behind her!" And she had on an ornamented tunic, for the virgin princesses did wear such robes. And his attendant took her outside and bolted the door behind her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and the ornamented tunic that she had on she tore, and she put her hand on her head and walked away screaming as she went. And Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? For now, my sister, hold your peace. He is your brother. Do not take this matter to heart." And Tamar stayed, desolate, in the house of Absalom her brother. And King David had heard all these things, and he was greatly incensed. And Absalom did not speak with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom hated Amnon for having abused Tamar his sister.