Then did the Prince, the Lord of hosts, depart With all His thanes from out the council-hall, Strong in His might, to seek an unknown land. By wonders manifold and mighty deeds In deserts wild He showed that He was King 700 By right throughout the world, made strong with power, Ruler and Author of bright majesty, Eternal God of all created things. Likewise He showed before the sight of men Unnumbered other works miraculous. Upon another journey then He went With a vast throng, and in the temple stood, The glorious Prince. The sound of words arose Within the lofty building; sinful men Would not receive the holy Savior's words, Though He had shown so many tokens true 710 While they looked on. Upon the temple wall On either side the Lord victorious saw An image of His angels wondrous carved, Brightly adorned and beautifully wrought; Then to the multitude he spake in words:-- 'This is the likeness of the angel-race Most widely known to dwellers in this town. In Paradise their names are Cherubim 720 And Seraphim; before the face of God They stand, strong-souled, and with their voices praise In holy song the might of Heaven's King, And God's protecting hand. Here is carved out The holy angels' form; the thanes of glory Are chiseled on the wall by handicraft.' The Lord of hosts, the Holy Spirit of heaven, Spake yet again unto the multitude:-- 'Now I command a sign to be disclosed, A miracle before the throng of men, 730 That from the wall this image shall descend All beautiful to earth, and speak a word, Shall tell them truly of My parentage, That men throughout the land may then believe!' The ancient image durst not disobey The Savior's words, but leapt from off the wall, Stone cleft from stone; upon the earth it stood, A wonder in the sight of all the throng; Then came a voice loud sounding from the stone, 740 Rebuking them in words; and wondrous seemed The statue's speech to those proud-hearted men. With tokens manifest it taught the priests, Warned them with wisdom; thus it spake in words:-- 'Accursed are ye and wretched in your thoughts, Deceived with tricks, or else with clouded mind No better do ye know. Ye call God's Son Eternal but a man--Him who marked out With His own hands the sea and solid ground, Both heaven and earth, the stormy ocean-waves, The salt sea-streams, and the high firmament. 750 He is that self-same God all-powerful Whom in the early days your fathers knew; To Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob He gave His grace, and honored them with wealth; To Abraham He first declared in words The covenant of his race, that of his seed The God of glory should be born; this fate Is now fulfilled among you, manifest; And lo! your eyes can now behold the God Of victory, who rules the heavens on high.' 760