Jeremiah Part 63

[Suddenly stands forth from a dark corner, and cries enthusiastically]

Hear him, O Lord, hear him! Fulfil the promise of his words.

VOICES

[Imploringly] Hear him, Lord G.o.d of Sabaoth!

JEREMIAH

Already hath the avenger awakened, for the Lord hath summoned him, and hath equipped him with strength. He is coming. Already is he near.

Mighty are his hands; they will crush Babylon like a bird's nest, and will scatter the people of Ashur like chaff before the wind. Set watchmen in the towers upon the walls, that they may warn you of his coming; send forth men in armor, bearing sharp spears, that they may resist his onslaught. Just as little as thou canst blow away the clouds of heaven with thy breath, just so little canst thou avert the coming of the avenger, whose sword will slay the children of Ashur.

THE ELDER

[Ecstatically] So let it be, Lord, so let it be!

THE OTHER REFUGEES

[They have collected round THE ELDER, and have caught fire from his enthusiasm] Smite them, O Lord, as he has foretold.--Fulfil the words he has spoken.--Send the avenger.--Cast down Babylon even as he has prophesied.--Hear him, O Lord, hear him.

[The officers, panic-stricken, make for the door]

JEREMIAH

[In a frenzy of joy] O fool among fools, didst thou verily believe thou couldst enslave us; didst thou verily believe that G.o.d would forget us, would forsake his city of Jerusalem? Are we not his children, his first-born and his heirs? Is not his spirit upon us, and his blessing upon the seed of Abraham? He has chastised us for our sins, but will now have pity on us. What his left hand has taken from us, his right hand will restore a thousandfold. For know, brothers, that sooner shall mountains fall and rivers flow upwards, sooner shall the stars be darkened, than that G.o.d shall forget his covenant, shall abandon Israel, shall turn away his face from Zion.

[The officers have vanished during this speech]

THE ELDER AND THE OTHERS

[Thronging round JEREMIAH] Blessings upon your words.--Blessings upon your head.--G.o.d will be mindful of Jerusalem.--O glorious prophecy!

JEREMIAH

[Ignoring them in his growing exaltation] How dark were the days upon earth when G.o.d frowned upon his children. We thought to perish in that darkness, to go down unto death in our anguish. But with the end of his wrath came the beginning of his love. A storm has raged; G.o.d has broken our strength like a reed. But now, once more, the sun of his mercy shines upon us. He has laid aside the lightnings; he has stilled the thunder of his voice; his words fall softly on our ears. Sweet do they sound, sweet and gentle:

Arise, Jerusalem, Arise, city of affliction.

Fear no longer, For I have compa.s.sion upon thee.

I have been wroth with thee, For a moment I have forsaken thee, But not for ever doth mine anger endure.

Therefore, since thou hast been forsaken, Hast been for a day the rejected of G.o.d, Now shall thy glories be restored unto thee, And now shalt thou be exalted for all eternity.

I will deck thee with my love, And girdle thee with peace, Will show thee the light of my countenance, And bestow my blessing upon thee.

Arise, Jerusalem, Arise, For I have delivered thee.

THE ELDER

A blessing upon your words.

THE OTHERS

Hear him, G.o.d.--Fulfil his words.--Deliver Jerusalem.

JEREMIAH

Lo, she is risen. She has heard the call. The Lord has loosened the fetters from her limbs, and has lifted the yoke from her neck. He has wiped the tears from her cheeks, has consoled the widows and the orphans. Smiles succeed to sorrow. The season of blossoming hath returned. Zion yearns for her children, that they may look upon her in her happiness and rejoice in her renewal. Already have the children of Israel heard the summons of the Lord. Dispersed never so widely to the ends of the earth and among the islands of the sea, yet do they return in their myriads to Zion. From the north and the south, from the east and the west, the happy pilgrims come. Their footsteps hasten across the hills of Gilead, eagerly do they make their way over Bashan and Carmel, that they may see the city of our love, the city of our suffering, the holy fortress of Zion. And Jerusalem rejoices to welcome her children, returned in countless numbers from the prison-houses of exile. Where the flowers were withered, new buds are springing; where darkness had loomed, there shines fresh light; those who have been dumb, find voice.

Jerusalem has risen from the tomb. The hills nod to her as of old; the shadows of the mountains lie athwart her plains; as dew gleams in the meadows, so peace shines in the city, the peace of the Lord, the peace of Israel, the peace of Jerusalem!

THE OTHERS

Fulfil the prophecy, O G.o.d.--Bring peace to Israel.--Let Jerusalem arise.

JEREMIAH

When the glad day comes, and in Zion we meet, We, who so long have been captives and slaves, Who have dwelt with the stranger in gloomy abodes, Joyfully rea.s.sembling, We shall pray: Blessed be thy name, Lord G.o.d of Sabaoth!

Great and wonderful have been thy mercies!

By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, Breaking the bitter bread of slavery; We mingled the wine in our pitchers with tears; For our souls were sick with longing for home, And our servitude was a daily death.

Then we called unto thee, compa.s.sionate one, and called not in vain, For thou didst break our bonds.

With the dew of thy goodness, with the waters of life, Didst thou quench the fever of our thirsty souls.

Us the dispersed, us the vanquished, Didst thou raise from the dust and lead home to Zion.

Look on us, O mountains; look on us, O fields!

We have returned, we have risen as from the dead!

Let the sound of our streamlets murmur in our prayers; Let the gardens welcome us with their flowers; Let the roses of Sharon greet us with their perfume, The forests of Carmel and Lebanon with their shade.

And thou, holy city, the beloved, ne'er forgotten, The vision of our days, and the dream of our nights, The bride of our love and the mother of us all, Let thy cymbals sound, thy flutes breathe notes of gladness; Arouse thee and give utterance to thy rejoicing, For we have returned to thee, Jerusalem!

THE OTHERS

[Pressing near him in their delight, throwing themselves at his feet, embracing his knees] Returned!--Risen as from the dead.--Glorious prophecy.--Jerusalem.--Jerusalem.

BARUCH

[On his knees] My master, my teacher, how sweet are your words, how blissful is your message.

THE ELDER

Blessed be he who brings comfort in time of affliction.

A WOMAN

His eyes glow like stars and light up the vault.

ANOTHER WOMAN

G.o.d's spirit has descended on him.

THE WOUNDED MAN

His words have heartened me. I live, I live again. Oh that I, too, might one day return to Jerusalem.

ZEPHANIAH