{
 "id": "john-newton/the-prodigal-son",
 "title": "The Prodigal Son",
 "ordinal": "104",
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "John Newton",
 "poet_slug": "john-newton",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Olney Hymns",
 "book_slug": "olney-hymns",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 104,
 "container": "Book I On Select Texts of Scripture",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1779,
  "venue": "Olney Hymns (1779)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_olney-hymns-in-three-bo_newton-john_1779",
   "https://cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk/bulletin/computerised-index-to-the-olney-hymns/",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/john-newton_william-cowper_olney-hymns",
  "file": "book-1.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Olney_Hymns_%281840%29",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-15"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 32,
  "n_stanzas": 8,
  "n_parts": 8,
  "longest_line_chars": 37,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [
  {
   "ordinal": "I",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    0,
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "II",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    1,
    2
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "III",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    2,
    3
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "IV",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
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   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "V",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
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   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VI",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    5,
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   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VII",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    6,
    7
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VIII",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    7,
    8
   ]
  }
 ],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Afflictions, though they seem severe,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In mercy oft are sent;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "They stopp’d the prodigal’s career,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And forced him to repent.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Although he no relentings felt",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Till he had spent his store,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "His stubborn heart began to melt",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When famine pinch’d him sore.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“What have I gain’d by sin,” he said,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“But hunger, shame, and fear?",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "My father’s house abounds with bread",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While I am starving here.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "I’ll go and tell him all I’ve done,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And fall before his face;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Unworthy to be call’d his son,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I’ll seek a servant’s place.”",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "His father saw him coming back,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He saw and ran and smiled,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And threw his arms around the neck",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of his rebellious child.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Father, I’ve sinn’d⁠—but O forgive!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“I’ve heard enough,” he said;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "“Rejoice, my house⁠—my son’s alive",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For whom I mourn’d as dead.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Now let the fatted calf be slain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And spread the news around:",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "My son was dead, but lives again⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was lost, but now is found.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "’Tis thus the Lord his love reveals",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To call poor sinners home;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "More than a father’s love he feels.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And welcomes all that come.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ]
 ]
}