Because I said I saw thee Under the fig-tree, before Philip called thee, Believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things. This is, alas! some poor demoniac Wandering about the fields, and uttering Hereafter thou shalt see the hea- His unintelligible blasphemies What David did when he anhun- The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Which was not lawful, saving for To comfort those that mourn, and the priests? to throw open Have ye not read, how on the Sab- The prison doors of captives, and The priests profane the Sabbath The Year Acceptable of the Lord, in the Temple, And yet are blameless? But I say our God! He closes the book and sits down. to you, Behold, to-day This scripture is fulfilled. One is appointed And hath been sent to them that mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, and the oil Of joy for mourning! They shall build again The old waste-places; and again raise up The former desolations, and repair 370 The cities that are wasted! As a bridegroom Decketh himself with ornaments; as a bride Adorneth herself with jewels, so the Lord Hath clothed me with a robe of righteousness! A PRIEST. He spake the Prophet's words; but with an air As if himself had been foreshadowed in them! CHRISTUS. For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest Until its righteousness be as a brightness, And its salvation as a lamp that burneth! 380 And speakest to the Elders and Launch out into the deep, and cast The world is changed. We Elders Simon, fear not; henceforth thou are as nothing! shalt catch men! We are but yesterdays, that have What was the meaning of those And she a widow, who with lamen- But, passing through the midst of tation them, he vanished Bewailed her loss, and the much Out of their hands. people with her; And when the Master saw her he was filled PETER. Wells are they without water, unto whom With pity: and he said to her: Clouds carried with a tempest, 450 47I Weep not! And came and touched the bier, The mist of darkness is reserved and they that bare it Stood still; and then he said: Young man, arise! forever! PHILIP. And he that had been dead sat up, Behold he cometh. There is one and soon man with him Began to speak; and he delivered I am amazed to see! him Unto his mother. And there came a fear On all the people, and they glorified Is risen up among us! and the Hath visited his people! PETER. A great Prophet? ANDREW. What man is that? PHILIP, Judas Iscariot; he that cometh last, Girt with a leathern apron. No one knoweth His history; but the rumor of him is He had an unclean spirit in his youth. Ay, greater than a Prophet: It hath not left him yet. They do not understand; and they And ye shall all find rest unto your And would have cast him down a Receive your sight! and straight precipice, way they would see! I feel that it might say unto the In the kitchen of the King of Upon the high walls of Jerusalem, Crying aloud, and cutting himself And made them shine from one end It was enough to hurl King Solo- That fell out of her nest, and broke have pity! mon, leagues away scullion to pieces On whom be peace! two hundred And swept away three hundred cedar-trees, Into the country, and to make him And threescore villages! - Rabbi Eliezer, |