XXXIX.

ON THE LORD’S PRAYER.

No. 3.

Allor potrete orar.

Then shall ye pray with every hour that flies;
    Thy kingdom come, and let Thy will be done
    On earth as in the spheres above the sun,
    When all we hoped and wished shall bless our eyes. 
Poets shall see their Age of Gold arise,
    Fairer than feigned in hymn or orison;
    Yea, all the realm by Adam’s sin undone
    Shall be restored in sinless Paradise. 
Philosophers shall govern for their own
    That perfect commonwealth whereof they write,
    The which on earth as yet was never known. 
Judah to Sion shall return with might
    Of greater wonders than shook Pharaoh’s throne,
    From Babylon, to bless the prophets’ sight.

XL.

A PROPHECY OF JUDGMENT.

No. 1.

THE REIGN OF ANTICHRIST.

Mentre l’acquila invola.

While yet the eagle preys, and growls the bear;
    While roars the lion; while the crow defies
    The lamb who raised our race above the skies;
    While yet the dove laments to the deaf air;
While, mixed with goodly wheat, darnel and tare
    Within the field of human nature rise;—­
    Let that ungodly sect, profanely wise,
    That scorns our hope, feed, fatten, and beware! 
Soon comes the day when those grim giants fell,
    Famed through the world, dyed deep with sanguine hue,
    Whom with feigned flatteries you applaud, shall be
Swept from the earth, and sunk in horrid Hell,
    Girt round with flames, to weep and wail with you,
    In doleful dungeons everlastingly.

XLI.

A PROPHECY OF JUDGMENT.

No. 2.

THE DOOM OF THE IMPIOUS.

La scuola inimicissima.

You sect most adverse to the good and true,
    Degenerate from your origin divine,
    Pastured on lies and shadows by the line
    Of Thais, Sinon, Judas, Homer!  You,
Thus saith the Spirit, when the retinue
    Of saints with Christ returns on earth to shine,
    When the fifth angel’s vial pours condign
    Vengeance with awful ire and torments due,—­
You shall be girt with gloom; your lips profane,
    Disloyal tongues, and savage teeth shall grind
    And gnash with fury fell and anger vain: 
In Malebolge your damned souls confined
    On fiery marle, for increment of pain,
    Shall see the saved rejoice with mirth of mind.

XLII.

A PROPHECY OF JUDGMENT.

No. 3.

THE GOLDEN AGE.

Se fu nel mondo.