Azarias

Then Azariah
fervently
cried, holy ;
thorough-hot flame
endur'd, ardent in deeds
prais'd the Lord,
wise in his works,
and these words spake :
‘Lord of all creatures !
Thou in might art strong
mortals to save,
thy name is great,
beauteous and glorious,
throughout mankind ;
thy judgments are,
in every deed,
true, potent,
and triumphant ;
also thy fiats,
in worldly events
right with judgment.
Ruler of the skies !
preserve us carefully,
Creator of spirits !
and through thy grace help us,
holy Lord !
now we thee in necessity
and in oppression,
and humbly,
pray for thy mercies,
with flame beset.
We for this living
wrought in the world ;
also then did evil
our forefathers,
in their pride,
brake thy commandments,
while in their cities dwelling,
the state despis'd
of holy life.
We are become scatter'd
o'er the wide earth,
dispers'd in bodies,
favourless
has been our life, through
many lands,
vile and infamous
to earth's inhabitants.
Now thou us hast exil'd
into this worst
of earthly kings'
oppressive bondage,
into the captivity of the most cruel,
where we must the heathens'
oppression suffer.
For this be thanks to thee,
Glory-King of hosts !
that thou to us this exile hast ordain'd.
Forsake thou us not,
eternal Lord !
for the mercies,
which thee to man incline,
and for the covenants,
which thou in glories fast,
Saviour of men !
hast taken
with Abraham,
and with Isaac,
and Jacob,
Creator of spirits !
Thou to them didst promise,
through revelations,
that thou their offspring,
in distant days,
wouldest increase,
that which after them,
in the realm,
should be brought forth,
increas'd on earth,
that as numberless
their state to be rais'd
as the stars of heaven
encircle the broad orb,
unto the ocean-floods,
as the shores' sand
round the salt water,
the waves o'er ocean's ground,
that so numberless,
after a course of years,
it should become.
Fulfil now that saying of old,
though of us few live,
realize thy words,
and to us thy glory
manifest, thy wisdom and thy might.
Now thee the Chaldeans,
and also many people,
have learn'd,
that thou alone art
Lord eternal,
Arbiter of triumphs,
and true Creator,
Ruler of glory,
and of worldly creatures.’
Thus the holy man
was praising
the Creator's mercy,
and his mind's thoughts
express'd by voice.
Then from the firmament was
an all-bright angel
sent from above,
a man of aspect beauteous,
in his garb of glory,
came to them then in mercy,
and for their life's salvation,
through love and through grace,
who the flame scatter'd
(holy and heaven-bright)
of the hot fire,
so that the bitter burning
should avoid,
for the angel's dread,
the pious three.
He swept away and scatter'd,
through the Strong One's might,
the beams of flame,
so it their bodies injur'd not,
but it was in the oven,
when the angel came,
windy and winsome,
to the air most like,
when in summer's tide
is sent
a fall of drops,
in the day's season.
He was in the fire,
by the Lord's power,
for help to the holy men.
The hot flame was
dispers'd and quench'd,
where the energetic men,
the three, fervently
prais'd the Lord,
pray'd him to bless
the children in the world,
all creation,
the Lord eternal,
Ruler of nations :
Thus these three spake,
in mind sagacious,
with united words :
‘Thee bless,
benignant Father !
the glory of thy world-creations,
and thy every work,
heavens and angels,
and the clear water,
and all the power
of earth's creatures :
Thee bless, just King !
the sun, and the moon's
bright beams,
(living God !)
serene and pure,
and with heavenly joy
earth's fruits endow.
Full oft thou, glory-King !
through the air sendest,
for men's prosperity,
mild morning rain ;
(then shall many
a plant spring up,
also the forest groves
with branches teem,)
which earth's riches strengtheneth,
fostereth, and purifieth.
Never hath the Creator
greater fame, than
when he towards the sons of men
worketh with benefits.
Wise is he who can
the Preserver understand,
who to us all good
giveth that we have,
while we are here,
and, a merciful God, to us
more promiseth,
if we it merit,
fervently desire,
when shall go,
through the Lord's behest,
apart of every one
the soul from body.
And thee, Lord God !
all spirits praise,
burning fire,
and bright summer,
warm weather days,
Ruler of men !
the Lord, in spirit.
Thou causest earth's riches,
through many a form,
benignant Lord !
and thee day and night,
powerful King !
praise and love,
light and darkness,
that these nations
hold in ward ;
the Lord's awful command
they obey, the lasting one.
And thee, Christ King !
ships adore,
Father ! frost and snow,
Ruler of nations !
bitter winter weather,
and the welkin-clouds,
and thee the glittering
lightnings praise,
pale swiftly darting,
thee, Guardian of the spacious realm !
beloved Lord !
ever be thy decree
good and valid.
Thou thus earnestly
workest, Glory-King !
* * *
* * *
in their fruits praise,
bless in their leaves ;
and be thy glory
ever forth eternal,
Almighty God !
Exist and wax
all tribes of men,
live by the blessings
that for us the beloved King,
th' eternal Lord,
ere bestow'd,
on his children for their use,
glorious Lord !
And thee, holy God !
the high downs
over mid-earth
for thy mercies praise,
the fair land,
and paternal realm ;
for that the Supreme created
the woody mountains,
with praise reward
the Lord of light.
Bless thee, just King !
the seas and waters,
the depths profound,
the holy Lord,
fervently the deep water :
and the Lords command
each ocean-flood
strictly controuls,
when the sea streams,
through the Creator's ministers,
the waters, onward roll.
The old generations know,
that erst created
the Lord eternal
the course of water-floods,
the Lord of light,
in which dwell,
widely faring
by journey in the ocean,
wonderous creatures many :—
Bless thee these all,
eternal Lord !
through thy will,
glorious King !
And thee all river-springs,
Lord eternal !
exalted, praise.
Full oft thou lettest forth clear
pleasant waters,
for worldly joy,
from the pure cliff,
which for us our King created
in kindness towards men,
and for strength's increase.
Bless thee, benignant Father !
fishes and birds,
thee, Much Powerful !
all those that move on
the rough waves,
on the broad ocean,
celebrate the Lord,
praise thee Holy,
and the fowls of heaven,
those which sporting
journey through air.
Bless thee, Lord !
beasts and cattle,
their Creator the sons of men
for his mercies praise,
and the eternal God
the race of Israel.
Bless thee thy priests,
just King !
meek mass-priests,
the great Lord,
and these thine,
Guardian of people !
also of the holy
the pure souls,
and, eternal God !
the humble-hearted.
Now thee Ananiah,
and Azariah,
and Mishael, Lord !
for thy mercies praise :
now we young three
bless God,
the much powerful
Father in heaven,
the true Son,
and the triumphant Spirit ;
because to us hath sent
the Lord of triumphs
an angel in his mercy,
who hath us secur'd against
fire and foes,
and with his wings us cover'd
against the fire's dread.’
Quickly surrounded
that hot house
the heathen people,
when that perceiv'd
the deniers of God,
that they might not,
(nor would the Lord permit them)
destroy the young men's law,
but that them Christ shielded.
Turn'd then to the hall,
as he most quickly could,
a chief in trembling mood,
so that he opposite his sovereign stood,
announced then before the nobles
the awful errand,
the holies' preservation :
(Listening was therein
the fiercehearted man)
‘That I well knew,
that we had three
leaders of the people,
young striplings,
for their souls' love,
bound to the pile,
in the burning
fire's beam,
now I four men there
see at once ;
I am devoid of counsel.
They now pass o'er the hearth,
not one hurteth the hot
oven's fire,
for an angel is with them,
he hath bright glory,
the burning may not hurt his
beauteous garb of glory.’
When those words heard
the Chaldeans' prince,
went then to the fire
the stubborn chieftain,
so that against the pile he stood ;
bade then from the flame
the living children,
Nebuchadnezzar,
nearer to approach.
That slighted not the holy ones,
after they, bold in spirit,
the world-king's
words had heard,
but from the fire went,
in life uninjur'd,
with glory beautified,
so that their garments hurt not
the greedy gleeds,
but they with their souls' love
sin outwearied,
and triumph'd,
in mind sagacious,
over man's practices ;
through forethought
from the fire escap'd.