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Translated by C. G. Leland
MIDNIGHT came slowly sweeping on; | |
| In silent rest lay Babylon. | |
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| But in the royal castle high | |
| Red torches gleam and courtiers cry. | |
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| Belshazzar there in kingly hall | 5 |
| Is holding kingly festival. | |
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| The vassals sat in glittering line, | |
| And emptied the goblets with glowing wine. | |
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| The goblets rattle, the choruses swell, | |
| And it pleased the stiff-necked monarch well. | 10 |
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| In the monarch’s cheeks a wild fire glowed, | |
| And the wine awoke his daring mood. | |
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| And, onward still by his madness spurred, | |
| He blasphemes the Lord with a sinful word; | |
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| And he brazenly boasts, blaspheming wild, | 15 |
| While the servile courtiers cheered and smiled. | |
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| Quick the king spoke, while his proud glance burned, | |
| Quickly the servant went and returned. | |
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| He bore on his head the vessels of gold, | |
| Of Jehovah’s temple the plunder bold. | 20 |
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| With daring hand, in his frenzy grim, | |
| The king seized a beaker and filled to the brim, | |
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| And drained to the dregs the sacred cup, | |
| And foaming he cried, as he drank it up, | |
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| “Jehovah, eternal scorn I own | 25 |
| To thee. I am monarch of Babylon.” | |
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| Scarce had the terrible blasphemy rolled | |
| From his lips, ere the monarch at heart was cold. | |
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| The yelling laughter was hushed, and all | |
| Was still as death in the royal hall. | 30 |
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| And see! and see! on the white wall high | |
| The form of a hand went slowly by, | |
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| And wrote,—and wrote, on the broad wall white, | |
| Letters of fire, and vanished in night. | |
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| Pale as death, with a steady stare, | 35 |
| And with trembling knees, the king sat there; | |
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| The horde of slaves sat shuddering chill; | |
| No word they spoke, but were deathlike still. | |
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| The Magians came, but of them all, | |
| None could read the flame-script on the wall. | 40 |
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| But that same night, in all his pride, | |
| By the hands of his servants Belshazzar died. | |
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