| |
| THOUGH rude winds usher thee, sweet day, | |
| Though clouds thy face deform, | |
| Though nature’s grace is swept away | |
| Before the sleety storm; | |
| Ev’n in thy sombrest wintry vest, | 5 |
| Of blessed days thou art most blest. | |
| |
| Nor frigid air nor gloomy morn | |
| Shall check our jubilee; | |
| Bright is the day when Christ was born, | |
| No sun need shine but He; | 10 |
| Let roughest storms their coldest blow, | |
| With love of Him our hearts shall glow. | |
| |
| Inspired with high and holy thought, | |
| Fancy is on the wing; | |
| It seems as to mine ear it brought | 15 |
| Those voices carolling, | |
| Voices through heaven and earth that ran, | |
| Glory to God, goodwill to man. | |
| |
| I see the shepherds gazing wild | |
| At those fair spirits of light; | 20 |
| I see them bending o’er the Child | |
| With that untold delight | |
| Which marks the face of those who view | |
| Things but too happy to be true. | |
| |
| There, in the lowly manger laid, | 25 |
| Incarnate God they see; | |
| He stoops to take, through spotless maid, | |
| Our frail humanity: | |
| Son of high God, creation’s Heir, | |
| He leaves His Heaven to raise us there. | 30 |
| |
| Through Him, Lord, we are born anew, | |
| Thy children once again; | |
| Oh! day by day our hearts renew, | |
| That Thine we may remain, | |
| And, angel-like, may all agree, | 35 |
| One sweet and holy family. | |
| |
| Oft, as this joyous morn doth come | |
| To speak our Saviour’s love, | |
| Oh, may it bear our spirits home | |
| Where He now reigns above; | 40 |
| That day which brought Him from the skies, | |
| So man restores to Paradise! | |
| |
| Then let winds usher thee, sweet day, | |
| Let clouds thy face deform; | |
| Though nature’s grace is swept away | 45 |
| Before thy sleety storm; | |
| Ev’n in thy sombrest wintry vest, | |
| Of blessed days thou art most blest. | |
| |
