(ll. 224-241) Then the fierce king was moved to anger, and bade
them kindle a furnace to torture the youths to death, because
they withstood his will. The furnace was heated, as fiercely as
might be, with cruel flames of fire. And the lord of Babylon,
savage and grim, assembled the people, and bade his servants bind
the prophets of God, and cast the young men in the flames. But
He was ready who wrought them help! Though the prince so
fiercely thrust them into the heart of the flame, yet a mighty
messenger of God preserved their lives, and brought them help
from heaven, as many learned. From heaven above the Gracious
Lord of men sent unto them His Holy Spirit. An angel passed
within the furnace, wherein they suffered torment, and covered
the noble youths with sheltering arms under the roof of fire.
And the heat of the quivering flame could not mar their beauty;
but God preserved them.
(ll. 242-250) Then the heart of the heathen prince was hardened;
he bade them quickly be burned with fire. The flame rose high,
the furnace was heated; through and through the iron glowed.
Many a slave cast wood therein according to command. Brands they
bore to the ruddy blaze. The ruthless king would fain have built
an iron wall about those righteous men, but the flame passed over
them, beloved of God, and with joy slew more than was meet.
(ll. 251-268) The flame passed by the holy men and fell upon
their heathen foes. The youths were blithe of heart! Round
about the furnace burned the slaves; the fire took hold upon
those evil men to their hurt, and the prince of Babylon beheld
it. Blithe were the Hebrew earls, praying to God with zeal and
gladness in the furnace, offering their accustomed praise,
because their lives were spared. With joyful hearts they
worshipped God, in whose protection the fierce heat of the flame
was turned away. The noble youths were sheltered from the
flames' assault, and suffered naught of evil. The roaring
furnace was no more grievous unto them than the shining of the
sun. The fire harmed them not, but in their hour of danger the
flames passed over them, and fell on those who did them evil.
The heathen slaves departed from the holy youths. And the beauty
of those cursed men was lessened, whoso had rejoiced in that
work!
(ll. 269-278) Now when the haughty king beheld how in that
torture a miracle was come to pass, and believed his senses, it
seemed to him a wondrous thing. The righteous men, all three,
were walking unharmed in the fiery furnace, and one was seen
there walking with them, an angel of Almighty God. No whit of
harm had come upon them, but within the furnace it was most like
as when in the summer season the sun shineth, and the dewfall
cometh at dawn, scattered by the wind. It was the God of glory
who saved them from that peril.
(ll. 279-282) Then in the hot flame the holy Azariah,
eager-hearted, sang an inspired hymn. The sinless man praised God
and spake this word:
(ll. 283-295) "O Lord of all! Thy might is strong to save!
Excellent is Thy name in all the earth, sublime and great in
glory! Thy laws are always sure and just and mighty, even as
Thou art mighty. Wise and righteous is Thy will, O Lord of
heaven! O God of spirits, grant us help and favour! Save us, O
Holy Lord! Wrapped in flame, we pray Thee for Thy mercy on our
woe, our thraldom and humiliation.
(ll. 295-308) "As we have wrought, so hath it come to pass. Our
fathers also, city-dwellers, in pride have sinned, and broken Thy
commandments, and scorned a holy life. We are scattered over all
the spacious earth and driven asunder, cast out from grace. In
many lands and under many peoples our life is infamous and vile,
and we are subject to the worst of earthly kings, and captive to
grim-hearted men; in heathen lands we suffer thraldom.
(ll. 309-332) "Thanks be to Thee, O Lord of hosts! that Thou
hast laid this punishment upon us. Forsake us not, O Lord
Eternal, for Thy mercy's sake which men attribute unto Thee, and
for the covenant, O Lord of glory, Shaper of spirits, Saviour of
men! which Thou didst give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Thou didst promise them in days of old that Thou wouldest bless
their seed, and that a mighty nation should be born of them, a
race to be exalted as the stars of heaven that trace their
wandering courses even to the strand of ocean, and the sands of
the sea-shore that form the foundations of the deep throughout
the salt sea; even so should they be numberless for untold years.
Fulfil Thine ancient promise now, though few are living! Show
forth Thy glory and Thy word upon us! Make known Thy strength
and power, that the Chaldean race and many nations living heathen
lives may learn Thy glory under heaven, and know Thou only art
Eternal God, Wielder of victory, Lord of hosts and all creation,
the Righteous God."
(ll. 333-344) So the holy men praised the loving-kindness of the
Lord, rehearsing the strength of His might. Then was a gleaming
angel sent from heaven above, with shining face and clothed in
glory, who came to comfort and deliver them with loving favour.
Holy and heavenly bright, he cast aside the blaze of the hot
flame; with mighty strength he swept away and quenched the flame
of fire so that their bodies were not harmed a whir. But in his
wrath he hurled the fire upon their foes, because of their deeds
of evil.
(ll. 345-361) Then in the furnace, when the angel came, the air
was cool and pleasant, most like the weather in the summer
season, when rain falleth during the day and warm showers from
the clouds. As is the best of weather, so was it in the furnace
for their comfort through the holy might of God. The burning
flame was quenched and scattered where Hananiah, Azariah, and
Mishael, with brave hearts, were walking in the furnace, and the
angel with them who preserved their lives, who was the fourth.
Devout of heart, the three youths praised the Lord, and called
upon the sons of Israel and all created things of earth to bless
the Everlasting God, the Lord of nations. With understanding
hearts they spake with one accord: