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“Jam desinant suspiria”
AWAY with sorrow’s sigh, | |
| Our prayers are heard on high; | |
| And through Heaven’s crystal door, | |
| On this our earthly floor | |
| Comes meek-eyed Peace to walk with poor mortality. | 5 |
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| In dead of night profound, | |
| There breaks a seraph sound | |
| Of never-ending morn; | |
| The Lord of glory born | |
| Within a holy grot on this our sullen ground. | 10 |
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| Now with that shepherd crowd | |
| If it might be allowed, | |
| We fain would enter there | |
| With awful hastening fear, | |
| And kiss that cradle chaste in reverend worship bowed. | 15 |
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| O sight of strange surprise | |
| That fills our gazing eyes: | |
| A manger coldly strew’d, | |
| And swaddling-bands so rude, | |
| A leaning mother poor, and child that helpless lies. | 20 |
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| Art Thou, O wondrous sight, | |
| Of lights the very Light, | |
| Who holdest in Thy hand | |
| The sky and sea and land; | |
| Who than the glorious Heavens art more exceeding bright? | 25 |
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| ’Tis so;—faith darts before, | |
| And, through the cloud drawn o’er, | |
| She sees the God of all, | |
| Where Angels prostrate fall, | |
| Adoring tremble still, and trembling still adore. | 30 |
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| No thunders round Thee break, | |
| Yet doth Thy silence speak | |
| From that, Thy Teacher’s seat, | |
| To us around Thy feet, | |
| To shun what flesh desires, what flesh abhors to seek. | 35 |
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| Within us, Babe divine, | |
| Be born, and make us Thine; | |
| Within our souls reveal | |
| Thy love and power to heal; | |
| Be born, and make our hearts Thy cradle and Thy shrine. | 40 |
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