Hymns from the East Part 2

Soft o'er the land the twilight creeps; Night falls apace, and nature sleeps; O let not night my life control, And plunge in sleep my drowsy soul.

IV

Sleep to the weary pilgrim give, But let the soul through slumber live; Wake when the first faint gleam of morn Tells that another day is born.

V

Light of my life! bid night depart, Sing to my soul, and cheer my heart; That morn, and noon, and night may be One beauteous day of joy to me.

VI

And when the brightest morn shall break, And bid the eternal day awake, O Glorious Sun! in radiance s.h.i.+ne, To guard from night the realm divine.

CHRISTMAS

CAROL[1]

{kai Poimenes eidon to thauma,} {Angelon anymnounton, kai legonton;} {Doxa}

I

The Lord of Life to earth came down,-- Come, gaily sound His praises high; O 'twas a day of high renown, While angels praise Him in the sky.

_Refrain._

The shepherds saw a wondrous sight, In Bethlehem's fields at even, When, lo! a star, in radiance bright, Shed o'er the plains its glorious light, And angel bands, harmonious quite, His praises sang from heaven.

II

Say, came He forth by myriads led?-- Come, gaily sound his praises high; A crown of gold upon his head?

While angels praise Him in the sky.

_Refrain._

III

Of earthly pomp the Lord had none,-- Come, gaily sound His praises high; His kingly crown had not been won, While angels praise Him in the sky.

_Refrain._

IV

A little child the Lord became,-- Come, gaily sound His praises high, To bear our guilt, and share our shame, While angels praise Him in the sky.

_Refrain._

V

O Jesu, Who in manger lay,-- Come, gaily sound his praises high, Make me a little child to-day, While angels praise Thee in the sky.

_Refrain._

VI

And may I come, with spirit meet,-- Come, gaily sound His praises high, To lay my tribute at Thy feet, While angels praise Thee in the sky.

_Refrain._

VII

To Father, Spirit, One with Christ,-- Come, gaily sound His praises high, Be endless praise, Whose love sufficed, While angels praise Him in the sky.

_Refrain._

[1]This carol has been set to excellent and appropriate music by Mr.

Arthur Henry Brown, Brentwood, Ess.e.x, and is published by Novello & Co., London. It is noteworthy that Mr. Brown is honourably a.s.sociated with Eastern Hymnody by his tune, _St. Anatolius_, which was composed for Dr. Neale's rendering of the Greek evening hymn, {ten hemeran dielthon}, "The day is past and over"; and also by _Orthodoxus_ and _Apostolicus_, which were composed for The Ektene and The Litany Of The Deacon respectively; and by _St. Stythians_, composed for {basileu ouranie paraklete}, "O King, enthroned on high"--renderings by the present author, all of which find a place in the new edition of Church Hymns.

CAROL[2]

{euphrantheti hierousalem}

I

Jerusalem, rejoice!

Keep festival and sing; All ye who dwell in Zion's courts, Bring forth an offering.

Rejoice, rejoice, Jerusalem, rejoice; And sing with glee, right merrily, Let every heart and voice.

II

To-day the chain is loosed That long hath bound our race, The condemnation is removed Through G.o.d's abounding grace.

Rejoice, rejoice, etc.

III

The gates of heaven are wide, And Satan's work undone; For She[3] who fell beneath his power, Now gives the world G.o.d's Son.

Rejoice, rejoice, etc.

IV

O depth of riches great!

O height of wisdom strong!