72
JEPHTHAH
Ah! all the Earth was fair!
Now, seeing that we aré sinners, wilt not
thou
Relent thy hateful brow,
Bend down on us a forehead full of peace,
Bidding thine anger tease,
Speaking sweet words most comfortable. O
lose
The bitter memory of the wrong long dead !
© be the lord and prince we gladly choose
And crown the mercy of thy royal head !
Be thou the chief, and rule upon thy kin,
And be not wroth for sin.
lor surely in the dusty days and years
There is a little river flowing still
That brings forgetfulness of woes and fears
And drinks up all the memory of ill.
Wherefore our tribute to thy feet we bring ;
Conguer our foes, and reign our king!
JEPHTHAH.
Ye have no king but God: see ye to that !
ELEAZAR.
Behold, these people are as children, hiding
Thoughts beautiful and true in profuse words,
Not meaning all the lofty flight that fancy
And the strong urgement of a tune dis-
cover.
Be thou our judge, as Joshua long ago.
JEPHTHAH.
Swear by the Name unspoken that the truth
Flashes between the lips that tremble thus !
Ye love me not; ye fear me; ye might thrust
Some petty obstacle before my hands
When I would grasp your promise, and
betray
Your faith for fear of me. I read thy
thoughts,
Old man; I trust no word of thine; but
these
Full-hearted mourners, them will I believe
Upon their oath most solemn and secure.
But take thou warning now! I shall not
spare
Grey hairs or faltering limbs for treachery.
ELEAZAR.
Lift up your hands, all people of this land,
And swear with me this oath my lips pro-
nounce:
By Wisdom, father of the world, we swear;
3y Understanding, mother of the sea,
By Strength and Mercy, that support the
throne,
by Beauty, Splendour, Victory, we swear,
And by the strong foundations, and _ the
Kingdom,
Flower of all kingdoms, and by the holy
Crown
Concealed with all concealments, highest
of all,
We swear to be true men to thee and thine.
JEPHTHAH.
I thank you, people. Let the younger men
Gather their swords and spears, and pass
before
This spear I strike into the earth, that so
I see how many fight for Israel.
CHORUS.
The young men are girded with swords ;
The spears flash on high, and each shield
Gleams bright like the fury of lords
Through the steam of the well-foughten
held.
The children of Ammon are broken, their
princes and warriors yield.
The captain is chosen for fight ;
The light of his eye is as fire,
His hand is hardy of might
And heavy as dead desire ;
The sword of the Lord and of Jephthah shall
build our dead women a pyre.
The peuple were sad for his wrath ;
The elders were bowed with despair,
And death was the piteous path ;
With ashes we covered our hair;
The voice of the singer was dumh, the voice
of the triumph of prayer.