University of Virginia Library

“Thou hast well spoken, king: uncalled, unsent,
I see thy face no more. But, hearken now.
My quiver, thou sayst is empty; my sun set;
My waters all dried up. Oh, blind of eye,
And hard of heart! imagin'st thou, even yet,
That art of mine these Plagues hath brought on thee;
And dream'st thou that, worn out, it can no more;
And safely, therefore, may thou fling at me
Threat, and derision? In the quiver whence came
The arrows that have smitten thee, lie yet
Ten thousand times ten thousand, ten times told;
And greater far,—for 'tis the quiver of God!
I do but warn thee, saying,—‘the bow is bent:
Obey, and 'scape the shaft:’ for so to me
The Voice hath spoken. That small buzzing fly,
Now hovering o'er thy head, as easily
Might wield the thunder, as man's deepest art
Such Plagues might bring. From first, to last, still thus
Have I declared it to thee. In thy palm
Could'st thou scoop ocean; and, when highest he stands,
In the sun's face fling it, and his fire dash out,—
Still, against Israel's God, more feeble thou,
Than worm against the earthquake: and from Him,
Again I tell thee, have these judgments come:
And bend to Him thou must. Nay, even now,
When most thy pride is, doth the day draw nigh:
For thus to me hath spoken the Lord God.
‘Yet one plague more on Pharaoh will I bring,
And upon Egypt: afterward will he
Let you go hence; nay, he shall thrust you forth.
For, in the midst of Egypt will I go,
About the midnight; and the first-born all,
Throughout the land shall die: from the first-born
Of Pharaoh on the throne, to the first-born
Of the maidservant, toiling at the mill;
And the first-born of beasts. And a great cry
Shall be throughout the land; such as, before,
Hath been none like it; and shall never be.
But, 'gainst the children of Israel, not a dog
Shall move his tongue,—either 'gainst man, or beast:
That ye may know how that the Lord hath put
Difference 'twixt Egypt, and our Israel.’
And those thy servants, Pharaoh, with fierce look
Now glaring on me,—who, with bitterest hate,
And lies, and scoffs pursue me evermore,—
Even they shall come before me, and bow down,
And cry, ‘now get thee out from Egypt,—thou,
And all thy people.’ After that, O king,
Will we go forth: for all the land will cry,
Imploring us to go; even jewels, and gold,
Thrusting upon us, lest we should delay;
And evils worse should follow. Warning none,
As heretofore, now give I: thy bad course
Is run; and to thyself, at last, thou'rt left.
Promise, or oath, to thee such fetter is,
As gossamer-thread to foot of elephant.
A sea of promises thou'dst gulp at once,
Lightly as draught from Nile. Thou hast been weighed,
And art found wanting: sin on sin hast done;
Hast lied to God; even four times hast thou lied,
Unto the God of Israel: and His hand
Is lifted; and nought now can stay the blow.
Word more to thee were vain: bide thou the doom!”