Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
So stern the tone, the countenance so severe,
That all awhile were silent; man on man
Looking askaunt; and all upon the king.
Gone now was Pharaoh's smile: with eyes cast down,
Pale, anxious, restless, sat he; wrath, and fear,
Strangely perplexing him.
That all awhile were silent; man on man
Looking askaunt; and all upon the king.
Gone now was Pharaoh's smile: with eyes cast down,
Pale, anxious, restless, sat he; wrath, and fear,
Strangely perplexing him.
When this they saw,—
The lords, who from the judges and the priests
Apart were seated,—gathered in a group,
And whispered earnestly; then all at once
Went on, and stood before the king, and bowed:
And, when he looked upon them, Osochor,
One of the chief, thus said.
The lords, who from the judges and the priests
Apart were seated,—gathered in a group,
And whispered earnestly; then all at once
Went on, and stood before the king, and bowed:
And, when he looked upon them, Osochor,
One of the chief, thus said.
“Light of the Sun,
We pray of thee, let not this Israelite
Become a snare to us; a stumblingblock,
For Egypt to fall over. Plain to us
It seemeth, that the power which turned to blood
All waters of the land: frogs, lice, and flies,
Created out of nothing: boils and blains
Sent on all beasts, and men: and, last, that storm,
Thunder, and rain, and hail horrific, brought,—
Could also, and far easier, were it willed,
Set free the Hebrews; and conduct them hence,
Whithersoe'er it would. But, at the first,
This had it done, pretext there had not been
For these plagues sending on us; old despite
On Egypt so to vent. Seven plagues, O king,
Hath it let loose; and threateneth now the eighth:
And, if that eighth avail not, be thou sure,
Even to the eightieth, should thou still resist,
Glad will it be to hurl them; till the land
Shall be a wilderness. Nay, even now,
Knowëst thou not that Egypt is destroyed?
We pray thee, then, O Splendor of the Sun,
Let the men go, that they may serve their God.”
We pray of thee, let not this Israelite
Become a snare to us; a stumblingblock,
For Egypt to fall over. Plain to us
It seemeth, that the power which turned to blood
All waters of the land: frogs, lice, and flies,
Created out of nothing: boils and blains
Sent on all beasts, and men: and, last, that storm,
Thunder, and rain, and hail horrific, brought,—
Could also, and far easier, were it willed,
334
Whithersoe'er it would. But, at the first,
This had it done, pretext there had not been
For these plagues sending on us; old despite
On Egypt so to vent. Seven plagues, O king,
Hath it let loose; and threateneth now the eighth:
And, if that eighth avail not, be thou sure,
Even to the eightieth, should thou still resist,
Glad will it be to hurl them; till the land
Shall be a wilderness. Nay, even now,
Knowëst thou not that Egypt is destroyed?
We pray thee, then, O Splendor of the Sun,
Let the men go, that they may serve their God.”
| Israel in Egypt | |