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Canto II.
When from the prow's intimidating height
They plung'd the prophet to the realms of night,
Not long he languished in the briny deep,
In death's cold arms not yet decreed to sleep.—
Jehovah saw him, from the abodes of bliss,
Sunk to the bottom of the vast abyss,
And bade a whale, the mightiest of the kind,
His prophet in these dismal mansions find—
The hostile form, approaching through the wave,
Receiv'd him living to a living grave,
Where three long days in dark distress he lay,
And oft repenting, to his God did pray—
The power benign, propitious to his prayer,
Bade the huge fish to neighbouring shores repair—
Instant the whale obey'd the high command,
And cast him safe on Palestina's strand.
They plung'd the prophet to the realms of night,
Not long he languished in the briny deep,
In death's cold arms not yet decreed to sleep.—
Jehovah saw him, from the abodes of bliss,
Sunk to the bottom of the vast abyss,
197
His prophet in these dismal mansions find—
The hostile form, approaching through the wave,
Receiv'd him living to a living grave,
Where three long days in dark distress he lay,
And oft repenting, to his God did pray—
The power benign, propitious to his prayer,
Bade the huge fish to neighbouring shores repair—
Instant the whale obey'd the high command,
And cast him safe on Palestina's strand.
The prophet then his past transgressions mourn'd,
And grateful, thus to heaven this thanks return'd:
“Afflicted from the depths of hell I pray'd,
“The dark abyss of everlasting shade:
“My God in mercy heard the earnest prayer,
“And dying Jonah felt thy presence there.
“Because I dared thy mandate disobey,
“Far didst thou plunge me from the face of day:
“In the vast ocean, where no land is found,
“The mighty waters closed thy prophet round:
“On me the waves their utmost fury spent,
“And all thy billows o'er my body went,
“Yet then, surrounded by the dismal shade,
“Thus to my MAKER from the depths I said:
“Though hid beneath the caverns of the main,
“To thy blest temple will I look again,
“Though from thy sight to utter darkness thrown,
“Still will I trust, and trust on thee alone—
“With anguish deep I felt the billows roll,
“Scarce in her mansion stay'd my frighted soul;
“About my head were wrapt the weeds of night,
“And darkness, mingled with no ray of light;
“I reached the caves the briny ocean fills,
“I reached the bases of the infernal hills,
“Earth, with her bars, encompass'd me around,
“Yet, from the bottom of the dark profound
“Where life no more the swelling vein supplies,
“And death reposes, didst thou bid me rise.
“When fainting nature bow'd to thy decree,
“And the lone spirit had prepar'd to flee,
“Then from my prison I remember'd thee,
“My prayer towards thy heavenly temple came,
“The temple sacred to JEHOVAH'S name.—
“Unhappy they, who vanities pursue,
“And lies believing, their own souls undo—
“But to thine ear my grateful song shall rise,
“For thee shall smoke the atoning sacrifice,
“My vows I'll pay at thy imperial throne,
“Since my salvation was from thee alone.”
And grateful, thus to heaven this thanks return'd:
“Afflicted from the depths of hell I pray'd,
“The dark abyss of everlasting shade:
“My God in mercy heard the earnest prayer,
“And dying Jonah felt thy presence there.
“Because I dared thy mandate disobey,
“Far didst thou plunge me from the face of day:
“In the vast ocean, where no land is found,
“The mighty waters closed thy prophet round:
“On me the waves their utmost fury spent,
“And all thy billows o'er my body went,
“Yet then, surrounded by the dismal shade,
“Thus to my MAKER from the depths I said:
“Though hid beneath the caverns of the main,
“To thy blest temple will I look again,
“Though from thy sight to utter darkness thrown,
“Still will I trust, and trust on thee alone—
“With anguish deep I felt the billows roll,
“Scarce in her mansion stay'd my frighted soul;
“About my head were wrapt the weeds of night,
“And darkness, mingled with no ray of light;
“I reached the caves the briny ocean fills,
“I reached the bases of the infernal hills,
“Earth, with her bars, encompass'd me around,
“Yet, from the bottom of the dark profound
“Where life no more the swelling vein supplies,
“And death reposes, didst thou bid me rise.
198
“And the lone spirit had prepar'd to flee,
“Then from my prison I remember'd thee,
“My prayer towards thy heavenly temple came,
“The temple sacred to JEHOVAH'S name.—
“Unhappy they, who vanities pursue,
“And lies believing, their own souls undo—
“But to thine ear my grateful song shall rise,
“For thee shall smoke the atoning sacrifice,
“My vows I'll pay at thy imperial throne,
“Since my salvation was from thee alone.”
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