Chorus of Captives.

Down with them, Lord, to lick the dust;
Thy vengeance be begun ;

Serve them as they have served the just,
And let thy will be done.

FIRST PRIEST.

Recitative.

All, all is lost. The Syrian army fails,
Cyrus, the conqueror of the world, prevails.
The ruin smokes, the torrent pours along,—
How low the proud, how feeble are the strong!
Save us, O Lord! to Thee, though late, we pray;
And give repentance but an hour's delay.

FIRST AND SECOND PRIEST.

Air.

O happy, who in happy hour
To God their praise bestow,
And own his all-consuming power
Before they feel the blow!

SECOND PROPHET.

Recitative.

Now, now's our time! ye wretches bold and blind, Brave but to God, and cowards to mankind,

Ye seek in vain the Lord unsought before,

Your wealth, your lives, your kingdom, are no more!

Air.

O Lucifer, thou son of morn,

Of heaven alike and man the foe;
Heaven, men, and all,

FIRST PROPHET.

O Babylon, how art thou fallen!
Thy fall more dreadful from delay!

Thy streets forlorn

To wilds shall turn,

Where toads shall pant, and vultures prey.

SECOND PROPHET.

Recitative.

Such be her fate. But hark! how from afar
The clarion's note proclaims the finish'd war!
Our great restorer, Cyrus, is at hand,
And this way leads his formidable band.
Give, give your songs of Sion to the wind,
And hail the benefactor of mankind:
He comes pursuant to divine decree,

To chain the strong, and set the captive free.

Chorus of Youths.

Rise to transports past expressing,
Sweeter by remember'd woes;
Cyrus comes our wrongs redressing,
Comes to give the world repose.

Chorus of Virgins.

Cyrus comes, the world redressing,
Love and pleasure in his train;
Comes to heighten every blessing,
Comes to soften every pain.

Semi-chorus.

Hail to him with mercy reigning,
Skill'd in every peaceful art;
Who from bonds our limbs unchaining,
Only binds the willing heart.

The last Chorus.

But chief to thee, our God, defender, friend,
Let praise be given to all eternity;
O Thou, without beginning, without end,
Let us and all begin, and end, in Thee.

END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

Printed by S. and R. BENTLEY,
Dorset-street, Fleet-street, London.