Thy Father,--hearken when He pleads with thee, For there is something left of Him e'en now,-- A witness for thy Father in thy soul, Albeit thy better state thou hast foregone. "Now, then, be still, and think not in thy soul, 'The rivers in their course forever run, And turn not from it. He is like to them Who made them,' Think the rather, 'With my foot I have turned the rivers from their ancient way, To water grasses that were fading. What! Is God my Father as the river wave, That yet descendeth, like the lesser thing He made, and not like me, a living son, That changed the watercourse to suit his will?' "Man is the miracle in nature. God Is the ONE MIRACLE to man. Behold, 'There is a God,' thou sayest. Thou sayest well: In that thou sayest all. To Be is more Of wonderful, than being, to have wrought, Or reigned, or rested. Hold then there, content; Learn that to love is the one way to know, Or God or man: it is not love received That maketh man to know the inner life Of them that love him; his own love bestowed Shall do it. Love thy Father, and no more His doings shall be strange. Thou shalt not fret At any counsel, then, that He will send,-- No, nor rebel, albeit He have with thee Great reservations. Know, to Be is more Than to have acted; yea, or after rest And patience, to have risen and been wroth, Broken the sequence of an ordered earth, And troubled nations." Then the dragon sighed. "Poor fanatic," quoth he, "thou speakest well. Would I were like thee, for thy faith is strong, Albeit thy senses wander. Yea, good sooth, My masters, let us not despise, but learn Fresh loyalty from this poor loyal soul. Let us go forth--(myself will also go To head you)--and do sacrifice; for that, We know, is pleasing to the mighty God: But as for building many arks of wood, O majesties! when He shall counsel you HIMSELF, then build. What say you, shall it be An hundred oxen,--fat, well liking, white? An hundred? why, a thousand were not much To such as you." Then Noah lift up his arms To heaven, and cried, "Thou aged shape of sin, The Lord rebuke thee." BOOK VIII. Then one ran, crying, while Niloiya wrought, "The Master cometh!" and she went within To adorn herself for meeting him. And Shem Went forth and talked with Japhet in the field, And said, "Is it well, my brother?" He replied, "Well! and, I pray you, is it well at home?"