Let not this news their streets throughout, In Gath or Askalon be told;
For fear Philistia's daughters flout,
Lest vaunt th' uncircumcised should.
On you hereafter let no dew,
You mountains of Gilboa! fall:
Let there be neither showers on you,
Nor fields that breed an off'ring shall.
For there with shame away was thrown
The target of the strong, alas!
The shield of Saul, ev'n as of one,
That ne'er with oil anointed was.
Nor from their blood that slaughter'd lay,
Nor from the fat of strong men slain,
Came Jonathan his bow away,
Nor drew forth Saul his sword in vain.
In life-time they were lovely fair,
In death they undivided are;
More swift than eagles of the air,
And stronger they than lions were.
Weep, Israel's daughters! weep for Saul,
Who you with scarlet hath array'd,
Who clothed you with pleasures all,
And on your garments gold hath laid.
How comes it, he that mighty was,
The foil in battle doth sustain ?
Thou, Jonathan! oh, thou, alas!
Upon thy places high wert slain.
And much distressed is my heart,
My brother Jonathan! for thee:
My very dear delight thou wert,
And wond'rous was thy love to me;
So wond'rous it surpassed far The love of women ev'ry way. Oh! how the mighty fallen are! How warlike instruments decay!
O Lord, our everlasting God! Bliss, greatness, power and praise is thine : With thee have conquests their abode, And glorious majesty divine.
All things that earth and heav'n afford,
Thou at thine own disposing hast:
To thee belongs the kingdom, Lord,
And thou for head o'er all art plac'd.
. Thou wealth and honour dost command;
To thee made subject all things be:
Both strength and power are in thine hand,
To be dispos'd as pleaseth thee.
And now to thee, our God! therefore,
song of thankfulness we frame;
That what we owe, we may restore,
And glorify thy glorious name.
But what or who are we, alas !
That we in giving are so free?
Thine own before our off'ring was,
And all we have, we have from thee.
For we are guests and strangers here,
As were our fathers in thy sight;
Our days but shadow-like appear,
And suddenly they take their flight.
This off'ring, Lord, our God! which thus, We for thy name's sake have bestown, Derived was from thee to us,
And that we give is all thine own.
O God! thou prov'st the heart, we know,
And dost affect uprightness there;
With gladness therefore we bestow,
What we have freely offer'd here.
Still thus, O Lord our God! incline
Their meaning, who thy people be;
And ever let the hearts of thine
Be thus prepared unto thee.
Yea, give us perfect hearts, we pray,
That we thy precepts err not from;
And grant our contribution may
An honour to thy name become.
LORD God of Heav'n, who only art
The mighty God, and full of fear,
Who never promise-breaker wert,
But ever shewing mercy there,
Where men's affection bear to thee,
And of thy laws observers be!
Give ear and ope thine eyes, I pray,
That heard thy servant's suit may be,
Made in thy presence night and day
For Israel's seed, that serveth thee;
For Israel's seed, who, I confess,
Against thee grievously transgress.
I and my father's house did sin,
Corrupted all our actions be;
And disrespective we have been
Of statutes, judgments, and decree;
Of those, which to retain so fast,
Thy servant Moses charg'd thou hast.
O! yet remember thou, I pray,
These words which thou didst heretofore
Unto thy servant Moses say:
If e'er, saidst thou, they vex me more,
I will disperse them ev'ry where,
Among the nations here and there.
But if to me they shall convert
To do those things, my law contain,
Though spread to Heav'n's extremest part,
I would collect them thence again,
And bring them there to make repose,
Where I to place my name have chose.
Now these thy people are of right
Thy servants, who to thee belong,
Whom thou hast purchas'd by thy might,
And by thine arm exceeding strong.
O let thine ear, Lord! I thee pray,
Attentive be to what I say.
The prayer of thy servant hear;
O hear thy servants when they pray,
Who willing are thy name to fear;
Thy servants prosper now to-day;
And be thou pleas'd to grant, that he
May favour'd in thy presence be.
WHO finds a woman good and wise, A gem more worth than pearls hath got; Her husband's heart on her relies ; To live by spoil he needeth not. His comfort all his life is she: No wrong she willingly will do; For wool and flax her searches be, And cheerful hands she puts thereto.
The merchant-ship resembling right,
Her food she from afar doth fet.
Ere day she 'wakes, that give she might
Her maids their task, her household meat.
A field she views, and that she buys;
Her hands doth plant a vineyard there;
Her loins with courage up she ties;
Her arms with vigour strength'ned are.
If in her work she profit feel,
By night her candle goes not out;
She puts her finger to the wheel,
Her hands the spindle twirls about.
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