hey 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