Classic Poem

Chap. III. paraphrased

When, in a glorious terrible array,
From Paran's tow'ring height th' Almighty took his way,
Borne on a cherub's wings her rode,
Intolerable day proclaim'd the God;
No earthly cloud
Could his effulgent brightness shroud;
Glory, and Majesty, and Power,
March'd in a dreadful pomp before;
Behind a grim and meagre train,
Pining Sickness, frantic Pain,
Stalk'd wildly on! with all the dismal band
Which heaven in anger sends to scourge a guilty land.

With terror cloth'd, he downward flew,
And wither'd half the nations with a view;
Thro' half the nations of th' astonish'd earth
He scatter'd war, and plagues, and dearth!
And, when he spoke,
The everlasting hills from their foundations shook;
The trembling mountains, by a lowly nod,
With reverence struck, confess'd the God.
On Sion's holy hill he took his stand,
Grasping omnipotence in his right hand;
Then mighty earthquakes rock'd the ground,
And the sun darken'd as he frown'd.
He dealt affliction from his van,
And wild confusion from his rear,
They thro' the tents of Cushan ran,
The tents of Cushan quak'd with fear,
And Midian trembled with despair.
I see his sword wave naked in the air;
It sheds around a baleful ray;
The rains pour down, the lightnings play,
And on their wings vindictive thunders bear.

When thro' the mighty flood
He led the murm'ring crowd,
What ail'd the rivers that they backward fled?
Why was the mighty flood afraid?
March'd he against the rivers? or was he,
Thou mighty flood! displeased at thee?
The flood beheld from far
The Deity in all his equipage of war;
And lo! at once it bursts, in diverse falls
On either hand! it swells in crystal walls!
Th' eternal rocks disclose! the tossing waves
Rush in loud thunder from a thousand caves!
Why tremble ye, O Faithless! to behold
The opening deeps their gulfs unfold?
Enter the dreadful chasms! 'tis God who guides
Your wondrous way! the God who rules the tides!
And lo! they march amid the deaf'ning roar
Of tumbling seas! they mount the adverse shore!
Advance, ye chosen tribes! Arabia's sands,
Lonely uncomfortable lands,
Void of fountain, void of rain,
Oppose their burning coasts in vain!
See the great Prophet stand
Waving his wonder-working wand!
He strikes the stubborn rock, and lo!
The stubborn rock feels the Almighty blow!
His stony entrails burst, and rushing torrents flow!

Then did the Sun his fiery coursers stay,
And backward held the falling day;
The nimble-footed Minutes ceas'd to run,
And urge the lazy Hours on:
Time hung his unexpanded wings,
And all the secret springs
That carry on the year
Stopt in their full career:
Then the astonish'd moon
Forgot her going down,
And paler grew
The dismal scene to view,
How thro' the trembling Pagan nation
Th' Almighty ruin dealt and ghastly desolation.

But why, ah! why, O Sion! reigns
Wide wasting Havock o'er thy plains?
Ah me! destruction is abroad;
Vengeance is loose, and wrath from God!
See! hosts of spoilers seize their prey!
See! Slaughter marks in blood his way!
See! how embattled Babylon,
Like an unruly deluge, rushes on!
Lo! the field with millions swarms!
I hear their shouts, their clashing arms!
Now the conflicting hosts engage
With more than mortal rage! —
Oh Heaven! I saint — I die —
The yielding pow'rs of Israel fly —
Now banner'd hosts surround the walls
Of Sion! now she sinks, she falls —
Ah, Sion! how for thee I mourn!
What pangs for thee I feel!
Ah! how art thou become the Pagan's scorn,
Lovely unhappy Israel!
A shiv'ring damp invades my heart,
A trembling horror shoots through ev'ry part;
My nodding frame can scarce sustain
Th' oppressive load I undergo:
Speechless I sigh; the envious woe
Forbids the very pleasure to complain;
Forbids my fault'ring tongue to tell
What pangs for thee I feel,
Lovely, unhappy Israel!

Yet tho' the fig-tree should no burden bear,
Tho' vines delude the promise of the year;
Yet tho' the olive should not yield her oil,
Nor the parch'd glebe reward the peasant's toil;
Tho' the tir'd ox beneath his labours fall,
And herds in millions perish from the stall;
Yet shall my grateful strings
For ever praise thy name,
For ever thee proclaim,
Thee, everlasting God! the mighty King of kings!