Since man on earth unparalleled, The rarer thy example stands, By how much from the top of wondrous glory, To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fallen. For him I reckon not in high estate Whom long descent of birth, Or the sphere of fortune, raises; But thee, whose strength, while virtue was her mate, Universally crowned with highest praises. 170 Sams. I hear the sound of words; their sense the air Dissolves unjointed ere it reach my ear. Chor. He speaks let us draw nigh. Matchless in might, The glory late of Israel, now the grief! We come, thy friends and neighbours not unknown, 180 To visit or bewail thee; or, if better, Salve to thy sores: apt words have power to swage The tumours of a troubled mind, And are as balm to festered wounds. Sams. Your coming, friends, revives me; for I learn Now of my own experience, not by talk, How counterfeit a coin they are who 'friends' I would be understood). In prosperous days 190 My vessel trusted to me from above, Chor. Tax not divine disposal. Wisest men At least of thy own nation, and as noble. 200 Sams. The first I saw at Timna, and she pleased That specious monster, my accomplished snare. 210 220 230 She was not the prime cause, but I myself, Who, vanquished with a peal of words, (O weakness!) Gave up my fort of silence to a woman. Chor. In seeking just occasion to provoke The Philistine, thy country's enemy, Thou never wast remiss, I bear thee witness; Sams. That fault I take not on me, but transfer On Israel's governors and heads of tribes, The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the But they persisted deaf, and would not seem To count them things worth notice, till at length I willingly on some conditions came Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me 240 250 260 Bound with two cords. But cords to me were threads But what more oft, in nations grown corrupt, Chor. Thy words to my remembrance bring Their great deliverer contemned, Of Madian, and her vanquished kings; Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument, 270 280 For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth. Sams. Of such examples add me to the roll. 290 Me easily indeed mine may neglect, But God's proposed deliverance not so. Chor. Just are the ways of God, And justifiable to men, Unless there be who think not God at all. If any be, they walk obscure ; For of such doctrine never was there school But the heart of the fool, And no man therein doctor but himself. Yet more there be who doubt his ways not just, 300 As to his own edicts found contradicting; Then give the reins to wandering thought, Regardless of his glory's diminution, As if they would confine the Interminable, Who made our laws to bind us, not himself, Whomso it pleases him by choice From national obstriction, without taint Of sin, or legal debt; For with his own laws he can best dispense. He would not else, who never wanted means, Nor in respect of the enemy just cause, To set his people free, Have prompted this heroic Nazarite, Against his vow of strictest purity, To seek in marriage that fallacious bride, Unclean, unchaste. 310 320 Down, Reason, then; at least, vain reasonings down; Though Reason here aver That moral verdit quits her of unclean : Unchaste was subsequent; her stain, not his. But see! here comes thy reverend sire, With careful step, locks white as down, Forthwith how thou ought'st to receive him. Sams. Ay me! another inward grief, awaked With mention of that name, renews the assault. 330 Man. Brethren and men of Dan (for such ye seem, Though in this uncouth place), if old respect, As I suppose, towards your once gloried friend, My son, now captive, hither hath informed Your younger feet, while mine, cast back with age, |