University of Virginia Library

Ode. The Song of DEBORA.

I.

Israel , the blest and happy State,
For whom th' Almighty all his Wonders show'd;
Israel, your great Redeemer celebrate,
And what for you he did, rehearse aloud!
Tell, how he made his hand appear,
And when the willing Tribes their Youth an Off'ring sent,
How God before the Sacred Army went,
And vengeful Ruine follow'd in the Reer!
And ye, O Kings, (whose awful Sway
The many-headed Multitude obey,
And at whose feet they both their Necks and Tributes lay;)
Princes and Rulers, to my Song attend,
Whose lofty Subject challenges your Ear,
By all that can a Verse commend,
Or greatest Kings perswade to hear,
A tuneful Voice, with Charms divinely strong,
A Woman begs your audience now;
And if that will not do,
Deb'rah a Judg in Israel sings, and Israels God's the Song.

II.

Lord, out of Seir, when Thou didst go,
Marching the Hill, before Thine Host adown,
When Thou mad'st Edoms Fields Thy Conquests know,
And with Arm'd Troops the Wilderness didst crown;
Affrighted Earth did at Thy Presence quake,
Heav'ns labo'ring Machin did the Warning take,
And from its torn sides dreary Tempests shake.
It thundred, and down fell from Heavens high Tow'r,
Of Stones and scalding Rain a mighty show'r;
With Darkness all the Sky was cover'd o're,
Through which the blew-wing'd Lightning flew,
And after it a trail of kindled Brimstone drew.
It strook the Rocks, and they took fire;
The Mountains with excessive heat did melt,
Unusual scorchings Sinai felt;
And tho than other Hills exalted higher,
Tho with its head it did to th' Clouds aspire,
Sinai nor could resist, nor bear the Flame,
But down in a burning Torrent headlong came.

III.

Samgar and Jahel wondrous Saviours were,
And did in Counsel and in Arms excel;
Of Jahels Prudence we the Trophies are,
Six hundred Philistims by Samgar fell,
All with an Ox-goad slain, and driv'n like Beasts to Hell.
But yet the Roads untrodden lay,
Scar'd Passengers through Woods did stray,
And but to Dens & Caves led not the Mountainous highway.
Woods, and thick Bushes in all Pastures grew,
The Plough-man, and his Labour ceast,
The Land as Curst enjoy'd its rest,
And not each Seventh alone, but every Year a Sabbath knew.
It rested, till I Debora rose at last,
At last in Israel I a Mother rose,
Then when new Gods the People chose,
And from Rebellion to Idolatry had past.
But see the Vengeance that pursu'd their Sin,
Slavery and Cowardise at the Breach rusht in,
And not a Shield, or Spear was found midst forty thousand Men.

IV.

Fly, fly, my Muse, from this unmanly race,
And to new Pomps thy strains address;
Israels great Generals, who to efface
Of all our foregone Miseries the very trace,
Couragiously did to the Battel press,
And, where in Irons we lay, with Laurels strew'd the place.
With them my Heart, with them my Praise shall be.
And ye, O Fathers, who at Home reside,
And you, who equal Justice to dispense,
Unguarded to your peaceful Cities ride,
And Justice done, return unguarded thence;
Judges, and People by their arms set free,
Come in and joyn with me,
And let us bless the Lord, as we their Spoils divide!
Come let us bless Him, and proclaim
The Wonders of his Reverend Name;
There, whence we exil'd were of late,
And at our Fountains first begin,
Where we so oft have rescu'd been,
Scaping the Death we saw upon the Wing;
Our Fountains tuneful numbers will inspire,
And by their purling falls direct the Quire,
Which well tun'd there, we may advance in state,
And bring with Harps and Songs our Praises to the City Gate.

V.

Awake, O Debora, awake,
And from this hint fresh vigour take!
Encourage, and provoke Thy Lyre,
Till all its speaking Chords conspire,
And with Thy Voice a perfect Concert make!
Up Barak, at th' harmonious Sound,
Abinoams warlike Son arise!
Lo! Thy Captivity stands in Fetters bound,
To be Thy valours early Prize,
And dreadfully adorn Thy entrance with its Exequies!
Lead on, Great Prince, by God ordain'd
To be Thy Nations Glory, and this Days;
Who hast Thy self the heat of th' War sustain'd;
Tho Women with Thee share divided Praise!
And all the while Thou dost the sacred Mount ascend,
Boldly Thy Ransom'd Peoples shouts attend,
The Bays Thou wearest will Thy Head defend!
Yea, speak Thy self, how God made Thee,
The Captain of his Armies be;
And when retir'd Thou long hadst lain at Home,
How forth he call'd Thee to o'recome:
The strange deliv'erance by Thy Hands he wrought,
And how to mine he Judgment gave;
And let the Tribes, which with us fought,
A just Memorial in our Triumphs have!

VI.

Place Ephraim here, Ephraim whose Fortitude
In Amaleks first overthrow was try'd,
When stoutly he th' Uncircumcis'd defi'd,
And with unerring Shafts their flying Troops pursu'd.
Benjamin, with his Squadron follow'd close,
And his scorn'd Life more nobly to expose,
The Tribe, he dearest lov'd, for witness of his Courage, chose.
From Machir Princes to the Battel came,
And Counsellors from Zabulon,
Who to encrease the glory of their Name,
Kept by the Sword, what by the Pen they won.
Then Issachar and Napthali,
By Debora that, and this by Barak led,
Both valiant Tribes, and both resolv'd to die,
Or conquer with so brave an Head.
But had you seen the Emulation there,
And how they strove each other to out-fight;
You would have thought them arm'd with Heav'nly Might,
And (all so terrible they did appear
Such Trophies of Mail'd Corps did round them rear,)
That every Isra'elite a destroying Angel were.

VII.

Ruben the while did with his Flocks abide,
And blest the Flood, whose streams the parted Land divide.
Careless of what his Brethr'en thought,
And what the fears his cold indifference wrought;
Strange and distracted fears his cold indifference brought.
But why, O Ruben, why didst thou refuse
An Enterprize so great and good?
Was it to hear thy bleating Ews;
Or could thy Honour be so little understood,
That their plain Fleeces thou shouldst chuse,
Before a Robe di'd Purple, in thine Enemies blood?
This cold indifference, Ruben, lost thee more,
Than ever thou in Arms hadst gain'd before.
Ah! hadst thou been alone! but far behind,
By thy example, Gilead stai'd;
On Shipboard Dan drove on his Trade,
And Asser, that he might be signally unkind.
Tho of pale Death too Womanly affraid,
Rather than yield his aid,
Watcht on his naked Beaches, torn with Seas and Wind.
Unlike to Zabulon, and Nepthali,
Who best knew how to Live, yet fear'd the least to Die.

VIII.

Thither, my Song, behold their Ensigns spred
On the High-places, and how equally endu'd
With Learning, and with Conduct too, they shew'd,
That never friendlier those best gifts inhabited,
And softer thoughts designs more noble bred.
The Cananitish Kings approacht the Hill,
Tabor, by their defeat to be renown'd,
But fearful to ascend its top, did fill
The Plains of Tanaach, with their Camps around,
And lowd Megiddos Waters with their shoutings drown'd.
They came, and fought, but Heav'n, that took our part,
Bore the first shock, and on them turn'd the War;
A mortal shaft was sent from every Star,
Which sank like Lead, into the Spoilers Heart.
No Gain or Pay, the Sacred Legions took,
But to the Service arm'd, in Diamond marcht on,
And, whom they spar'd, Kison, that ancient Brook,
Kison in its swoln Torrent carri'd down.
In vain the Horse assay'd the Flood to stem,
Which hurld their Riders with them down the rapid stream.

IX.

Enough, my Soul, enough, the chase give o're!
Those Enemies thou hast seen, thou shalt behold no more.
Stop, for at length the War is done,
And thou in Blood, I know, tak'st no delight!
Sound a Retreat, the Day's thine own,
And so shall Sisera too, e're Night,
Finding the Death he'd shun by an inglorious flight.
But first confirm a Curse was laid
By our God's Angel, and a Charge divine,
“Curse ye Meros, the Angel said!
“Curse Meros bitterly, and join
Yours to Jehovah's Curse and mine!
Curse all, who dwell there, and be this their Doom,
Who like them to th' Almighty's standard will not come!
But blessed above Women be,
Israels and Hebers Ornament,
Jahel above all Women blest ith' Tent.
And let this Song preserve her Memory!
Never was greater Name
Recorded, ith' Eternal Monuments of Fame.

X.

To her on foot Sisa'ra his flight addrest:
The courteous Wife to meet him went:
The courteous Wife invited him into her Tent,
And future Joys with thoughtful Cares supprest.
He askt her Water, and she ran in haste,
To execute her own, and to prevent his Wish,
And pour'd him Milk into a Royal Dish:
(A ready and a quick repast.)
And having give'n the fatal Bait,
Humbly at his Feet did wait,
And smil'd to see how greedily he drank and slept his last.
“Sleep, Tyrant, sleep she said!
And up a Nail and Hammer took,
The Nail into his Temples struck,
And with his own unbloody Sword smote off his Head.
He bowd, he fell, and at her Feet he lay,
Down at her Feet he bow'd, fell, groan'd his Soul away,
Where he bow'd, there he fell down dead.

XI.

Comiato.

Song, in the Country little understood,
For my dear Gardiner, at the Town inquire,
And all thy heat into his gen'rous Brest inspire,
To mingle with a nobler Fire,
Which lies at present smouldring in his Blood!
Perchance thou may'st effectual prove,
To make that upward, tow'rds its Center, move,
And him in softest lays rehearse the HOLIEST LOVE.