Τοιαῦτα τεύχεις φαίδιμ ̓, ὦ γενέθλιον
καλῶν ὅσ ̓ ἐστί, παγκρατὲς Πατρὸς σέβας.
σὸν ἔργον ἥδε γαῖα πάγκοινος βροτοῖς
θαυμαστὸς ὡς εὐμορφος· εἶτ ̓ αὐτός γε δὴ
οἷον Σὺ θαῦμ ̓ ἅπασιν, ἄφθεγκτον τέρας,
ἁγνοῦ γ ̓ ὑπερθεν οὐρανοῦ καθήμενος,
ἡμῖν δ ̓ ἄδηλος, ἢ τυφλοῖσιν ὄμμασι
τοιοῖσδ ̓ ἐν ἔργοις ἐσχάτοις κατοπτὸς ὤν·
δηλοῖ δ ̓ ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα φροντίδων πέρα
θεῖον σ ̓ ὑπάρχοντ ̓ εὐμενέστατον κράτος.
φωνοῖτ ̓ ἂν οἷς μάλιστα σημαίνειν πάρα,
ὦ φῦλον οὐρανοῦχον, ὦ φάους τέκνα,
οἵπερ βλέποντες αὐτὸν αἰανεῖ θρόνῳ
πανημέροις μολπαῖσιν ἀμφιβάλλετε
μέλος χάρᾳ ξύναυλον· ὧδ ̓ ἐν οὐρανῷ
ὑμεῖς μὲν αἰνεῖθ ̓ ἂν δὲ γῆς τρέφῃ πέδον
γεννήματ ̓ Αὐτὸν πρῶτον ὕστατον μέσον
ἄπειρον εὐλογεῖτε παμμίκτῳ χορῷ.
ὦ καλλιφεγγὴς λαμπάς, ἢ πανύστατος
στίλβεις ἐν ἄστρων νυκτέρων ὁμηγύρει,
ἂν μὴ σὺ μᾶλλον ἐμπρέπῃς ἑωθινοῖς,
σὲ δή, βεβαίαν ἐγγύην τῆς ἡμέρας
καλῶ, γελώσης τις ἐκστέλλεις Εω
στέφος φαεινόν, κεῖνον αἰνέσαι χρεών,
ἐν σαῖς κέλευθοις στροφάσιν, εὖτ ̓ ἂν ἐκφανῇ
ὡραῖον ὄμμα, φαιδρὸν ἡμέρας σέλας.
Nec magni facias, nec tamen oderis. Qvod vivis, bene vivito ;
Sit longum, breve sit, viderit id Deus.
RIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid: Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining;
Low lies His Head with the beasts of the stall,
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all.
Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odours of Edom and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation;
Vainly with gifts would His favour secure : Richer by far is the heart's adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid:
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid.
OVE'S holy flame for ever burneth,
From heaven it came, to heaven returneth.
Too oft on earth a troubled guest,
At times deceived, at times opprest,
It here is tried and purified,
Then hath in heaven its perfect rest:
It soweth here with toil and care,
But the harvest-time of love is there.
LMA fuga nobis tenebras, Lux omnibus una
Luminibus caeli clarior; affer opem :
Duc age nos, oriens Astrum, qva parvulus Infans
Ille, mali nostri nata medela, iacet.
Rore micant gelido cunae ; positiqve sopore
Ecce silens pueri stat prope vacca caput:
At chorus aetherius, Tu rebus causa creatis
Una, canit, Tu rex unus et una salus.
Huiccine promemus qvot Idume misit odores,
Qvoqve solet sumptu terra piare Deum?
Silva dabit myrrhae frondes, aurumqve fodina,
Gemma suos montes, baca relinqvet aqvas?
Frustra divitias amplas exponimus Illi;
Quaeritur haud ullo munere tantus amor :
Ditior est, censente Deo, reverentia cordis ;
Pauperis exaudit laetior Ille preces.
Alma fuga nobis tenebras, Lux omnibus una
Luminibus caeli clarior; affer opem :
Duc age nos, oriens Astrum, qva parvulus Infans
Ille, mali nostri nata medela, iacet.
DITUS e caelo, caelum rediturus, in aevum Fulget inexhausti fons sacer ignis Amor. Saepius in terris mala sustinet anxius hospes, Decipiturqve dolis opprimiturqve minis. Eluit hic vitae labem per mille dolores; At pura reqvie perfruiturus ibi est. Hic sementis habet curam durosqve labores Ut metat in caelo commoda pacis Amor.
(Omitting three probably spurious verses.)
E praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens, and all the
Powers therein.
To thee Cherubin, and Seraphin: continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles: praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world: doth acknowledge thee;
Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death: thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the Glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants: whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints: in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage.
Govern them and lift them :
(Omissis tribus versibus, qvi spurii videntur.)
Α. Εὐλογοῦντες ὡς Θεὸν σὲ Δεσπότην γνωρίζομεν.
Β. τὸν δι ̓ αἰῶνος σὲ Πατέρα χθὼν ἅπασα προσκυνεῖ.
Α. πᾶς ἀνωλόλυξε δαίμων οὐρανός θ' ὅ τ ̓ ἂν ἄνω.
Β. καὶ μάλ ̓ εὐφήμως βοῶντες διατελοῦσιν οἱ θεοί.
Α. ἁγνόν, ἁγνὸν ὦ σέβας Θεοῦ, Δέσποθ' ἁγνὲ δεσποτῶν.
Β. οὐρανόν τε γῆν τ' ἔπλησε δόξ ̓ ὑπερτάτη σέθεν.
Α. εὐλογεῖ σ ̓ ὕμνοις ὁ κλεινὸς τῶν ̓Αποστόλων στόλος.
Β. εὐλογεῖ δὲ καὶ Προφητῶν εὐσεβὴς ὁμιλία.
Α. εὐλογεῖ δέ γε σφαγέντων Μαρτύρων κεδνὸς στρατός.
Β. σεμνά θ' ἱερὰ πανταχοῦ γῆς πάνθ' ὅσ ̓ ἔστ' ἐγνώρισεν,
Α. εἴ τι κλεινόν ἐστ ̓ ἀνάσσεις, Χριστέ, παντίμου κλέους.
Β. τοῦ Πατρός γ' Υἱὸς πεφυκὼς ἀφθίτῳ θάλλων ζόῃ.
Α. ἀξιῶν σώζειν τὸ θνητὸν νηδὲν οὐ μέμφει Κόρης.
Β. τοῖς τ ̓ ἀεὶ πιστοῖς ἀνοίγεις οὐρανὸν κρατῶν μόρου.
Α. μέτοχος εἶ τιμῆς Πατρῴας δεξιᾷ παρήμενος.
Β. καὶ Κριτὴν μέλλειν ποθ' ἥξειν ἀνδράσιν πεποίθαμεν.
Α. τιμίου νυν ἔλθ ̓ ἀρωγὰς πριάμενός νιν αἵματος.
Β. τοὺς δὲ σοὺς τελεῖν ἐς ἁγνοὺς ἐς τὸν αἰανῆ χρόνον.
Α. ὄλβισον λεὼν σὺ σαυτοῦ κλῆρον ἐκσώζων σέθεν.
Β. καὶ κυβερνήσας νιν ὀρθῶς ἄρον ὑψηλοὺς ἀεί.
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