With gilded loins and ready-sandaled feet,
The eager bondsmen waited, longed and hoped__
They knew not what.
__And now the hour was come.
The murky veil of night was torn by wings
Of God's destroying angel swooping down
To smite the land__and Egypt slept no .more.
A sudden cry broke on the air. 'T was not
The anguish of a single stricken heart:
It rang from house to house arid swelling rose,
A mournful chorus, a funereal wail,__
The voice of Egypt mourning her first-born.
The angel Passed. Death hovered in his Wake,
But Israel's blood-stained door was left uncrossed.
Eight wore away, The stars above the land
Went dimly out; and lo! the rising sun,
Whose latest dying ray had looked on slaves,
saw Israel out of bondage__free at last.
Years, ages have rolled by. A deeper night
Enfolds the land in darkness and in gloom.
Above careless world that dreams no harm,
The clouds of sin stoop low and threateningly
And Justice whets her keen avenging sword.
Still Egypt sleeps. God's awful warning words,
"The day thou eat'st thereof thou'lt surely die,"
Forgotten are. The scornful idler laughs,
Unheedful that the hour is drawing nigh.
O men! O brothers! are you faithful, true?
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