| |
| BREAK o’er the sea! Break on the night! | |
| Ever blessèd and holy light; | |
| Shed but one ray, but one joyous beam, | |
| Wherever the eastern waters gleam— | |
| But one small ray, for the night is dark, | 5 |
| And the ocean waits for the first bright spark; | |
| Others are longing too for thee: | |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | |
| |
| O dawn! O rosy-fingered dawn! | |
| Come up and herald another morn; | 10 |
| Come, till the dark mists fly away; | |
| Come, till the night gives place to day; | |
| Come, where the deep black waters boom; | |
| Come, through the veil of the sullen gloom; | |
| All things are longing, O light, for thee: | 15 |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | |
| |
| O day! O happy, happy day! | |
| Chase the gloomy shadows away. | |
| Though Nature’s slumbers seem calm and deep, | |
| There are those on earth who cannot sleep— | 20 |
| Those who in toil alone are blest— | |
| Those who in labour alone find rest. | |
| Hearts that are breaking have need of thee: | |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | |
| |
| O light! O tender, tender light! | 25 |
| There came a cry through the livelong night; | |
| Wherever a mortal foot has trod, | |
| A cry of woe to a loving God, | |
| From those who would drink of the fabled wave | |
| That gives forgetfulness long as the grave: | 30 |
| Sorrowing souls have need of thee: | |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | |
| |
| O waves that were moaning all night long, | |
| Break out, and join in the angels’ song; | |
| Thunder it out with shock on shock | 35 |
| Into the ears of the dull hard rock: | |
| Whisper it low to the far-off strand | |
| Where the riplets lazily laugh on the sand, | |
| Till earth shall echo from flower to tree, | |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | 40 |
| |
| O type of the Everlasting Day! | |
| Come from the East land far away— | |
| The land whence once came a holy voice | |
| Bidding all mourning hearts rejoice; | |
| Come, and recall its echoes now, | 45 |
| Flash on the darkened and sullen brow, | |
| Bid all doubts and all sorrows flee: | |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | |
| |
| O Sun, rise up from thy watery bed! | |
| Rise, till the shades of night have fled! | 50 |
| Sweep on, on thy mission, and linger not, | |
| With rays of love, on each sacred spot, | |
| Where he, the Pure One, for sinners bled, | |
| Where earth once covered her Maker’s head— | |
| He that made thee is calling to thee, | 55 |
| Break o’er the sea! Break o’er the sea! | |
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