(ll. 712-726) Then was the lord of cities blithe in his heart,
boasting fiercely and defying God, and said his gods were
mightier to save, and greater, than the Eternal Lord of Israel.
But, as he gazed, there came a dreadful token before men within
the hall, that he had spoken a lie before his people. The hand
of an angel of God appeared within the lofty hall, a sight of
terror, and wrote before the eyes of men upon the wall in scarlet
letters and words of mystery. Then the heart of the king was
troubled within him and sore afraid because of the sign; within
the hall he beheld the hand of an angel writing the doom of the
Shinarites.
(ll. 727-736) But the multitude, the host within the hall,
debated what the hand had written for a sign to the city-
dwellers. And many came to see the wonder. They searched the
thoughts of their hearts to know what the hand of the angel had
written. Nor could the nobles and magicians read the angel's
message till Daniel, wise and righteous, loved of God, came to
the hall. And his heart was filled with wisdom sent from God.
(ll. 737-742) Then, as I have heard, the city-dwellers sought to
tempt Daniel with gifts to read the writing and tell the import
of the mystery. But the prophet of God, skilled in the law and
wise of heart, made answer to them:
(ll.
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