Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 14Hymn XIV.

(Resp.--Blessed be he who became beyond measure low, that he might make us beyond measure great)

1. Of the Birth of the Firstborn, let us tell on His Feast-day.--He gives on His day, secret comforts.--If the unclean King at his feast, in memory of his day,--gave the gift of wrath, the head in a charger,--how much more shall the Blessed, give blessings to him--who sings praise at His Feast!

2. Let us not count our vigil like vigils of every day.--His feast, its reward, exceeds an hundredfold.--For this feast makes war, on sleep by its vigil;--speaking it makes war, on silence by its voice;--clad with all blessings, it is chief of feasts,--and of every joy.

3. To-day the angels, and the archangels,--descended to sing--a new song on earth.--In this mystery they descend, and rejoice with the vigil-keepers.--At the time when they gave praise, blasphemy abounded.--Blessed be the Birth by which, lo! the world resounds--with anthems of praise.

4. For this is the night that joined, the Watchers on high with the vigil-keepers.--The Watcher came to make watchers in the midst of creation.--Lo! the vigil-keepers are made comrades with the Watchers:--the singers of praise are made, companions of the Seraphs.--Blessed be he who becomes, the harp of Thy praise!--and Thy grace becomes his reward.

5. The Birth then of the Firstborn, I will sing and tell how--the Godhead in the womb wove itself a vesture.--He put it on and came forth in birth, in death again put it off;--once he put it off, twice He put it on.--On the left He wore it, then took it off thence,--and laid it at the right.

6. He dwelt in a narrow bosom, the Might that rules all.--While He was dwelling there, He held the reins of the whole:--to His Father He made offering, that He might fulfil His Will:--Heaven was filled by Him, and every creature.--The Sun entered the womb, and in the height and the depth--his splendour abode.

7. He dwelt in the wide bosoms, of all the creatures;--too narrow to hold, the greatness of the Firstborn.--How then sufficed for it, that bosom of Mary?--Marvellous if it sufficed, bewilderment if it sufficed not.--Of all bosoms that held Him, one bosom sufficed for Him,--His, the Supreme Who begat Him.

8. The bosom that held Him, if it held Him Wholly,--equals the wondrous bosom, of the Supreme Who begat Him.--But who dare say the bosom, that is narrow weak and lowly,--is equal to His, Who is the Supreme Being?--He dwelt there of His mercy, though so great is His Nature:--it is without bound.

9. Reconciling Peace, sent to the nations!--gladdening Brightness, that camest to the sad!--Mighty Leaven in silence, overcoming all!--Patient One that hast taken, man after man in Thy net!--Happy he who has welcomed, thy joy in his heart,--and forgot his groans in Thee!

10. They sounded forth peace, the Watchers to the vigil-keepers.--Among the vigil-keepers the good tidings, were announced by the Watchers.--Who would sleep on that night, which has waked all creatures?--For they bear good tidings of peace, where warfare had been.--Blessed is he who has pleased, the Divine Majesty by his silence,--when speaking moved His wrath!

11. Watchers mixed with watchers, they rejoiced that the world came to life.--The Evil One was shamed who was king, and had woven a crown of lies;--and set up his throne, as God in the world.--The Babe laid in the manger, cast him from his dominion.--The Sun rendered worship, doing Him homage by his Magi;--in his worshippers he worshipped Him.

12. God saw that mankind, worship things created:--He put on a created body, that in our custom He might capture us.--Lo! in this our form, He that formed us healed us;--and in this created shape, our Creator gave us life.--He drew us not by force: blessed be He Who came in ours,--and joined us in His!

13. Who would not marvel, at Mary, David's daughter,--bearing an infant, and her virginity kept!--She lays Him on her breast, and lulls Him with song and He rejoices.--The Angels raise hymns, the Seraphs cry "Holy,"--the Magi offer, acceptable gifts,--to the Son Who is born.

14. O great above measure, immeasurably made low,--praised beyond praises, debased to humiliation!--the tender mercies laid on Thee, bowed Thee down to all this;--let Thy grace bow me down, though evil to give praise!--Happy he who becomes, a fountain of voices,--all praising Thee in all!

15. He was servant on earth; He is Lord in Heaven.--Heir of height and depth, He became a stranger:--Whom men judged in guile, He is judge in truth:--He Whose face they spat on, breathes His Spirit on theirs:--He Who held the frail reed, is become the staff of the world,--which grows old and leans on Him.

16. He Who rose to wait on His servants, now sits to be worshipped.--Whom the scribes despised, before Him Seraphs cry "Holy."--This praise Adam desired, to steal privily.--The serpent which made him fall, saw to what height he was raised:--he crushed it because it deceived him; the feet of Eve trod it down,--which had sent venom into her ears.

17. The wife proved barren, and withheld her fruit;--but the bosom of Mary, holily conceived.--To wonder at fields, and to admire plants--she needed not who received, and rendered what she borrowed not.--Nature confessed its defeat; the womb was aware of it,--and restored what Nature gave not.

18. Mary was defeated, in the judgment by Elizabeth.--She that was barren pleaded, that the Will which prevailed--to close the open door, has opened the closed.--He has made childless the married womb; He has made fruitful the virgin womb.--Because the People were accurst faithless, He made her that was married,--held from bearing before the face of the maiden.

19. He Who could give moisture, to breasts barren and dead,--caused them to fail in youth, made them to flow in age;--forced and changed nature, in its season and out of its season.--The Lord of natures changed, the Virgin's nature.--Because the People were barren, He made her that was aged,--a mouth on behalf of the damsel.

20. And as He began at birth, He went on and fulfilled in death.--His Birth received worship; His Death paid the debt.--As He came to His Birth, the Magi worshipped Him;--again He came to His Passion, and the thief sought refuge in Him--Between His Birth and Death, midway He set the world:--in birth and Death he gave it life.

21. Thousand thousands stand, and ten thousand thousands haste.--The thousands and ten thousands, cannot search out the One:--for all of them stand, in silence to serve.--He has no heir of His Throne, save the Son Who is of Him.--In the midst of silence is the enquiry into Him, when the watchers come to search Him out,--they attain to silence and are stayed.

22. The Firstborn entered the womb, and the pure Virgin was not harmed.--He stirred and came forth in her travail, and the fair Mother was troubled by Him.--Glorious and unseen in entering, humble and manifest in issuing;--for He was God in entering, and He was man in issuing.--A marvel and bewilderment to hear: fire entered the womb; put on a body and came forth!

23. Gabriel chief of Angels, called Him "My Lord":--he called Him "My Lord," to teach that He was his Lord, not his fellow.--Gabriel had with him, Michael as fellow:--the Son is Lord of the servants; exalted is His Nature as His Name.--No servant can search Him out; for the greater the servant,--He is great above His servant.

24. When they stand before Thee, the watchers with songs of praise,--they know not in what part, they shall discern Thee.--They have sought Thee above in the height; they have seen Thee below in the depth:--they have searched for Thee in the midst of heaven; they have seen Thee in the midst of the abyss:--they have discerned Thee beside Him that is worshipped; they have found Thee in the midst of the creatures:--they have come down to Thee and sung Glory to Thee.

25. Thou art all wonderful, in all parts where we seek Thee.--Near art Thou,--and far, and who may attain to Thee?--No seeking avails, that its stretch should reach unto Thee.--Whereon it stretches to reach Thee, it is checked and stops,--it falls short of Thy mountain; Faith reaches thither,--and Love with prayer.

26. The Magi also sought Him, and in the manger when they found Him,--instead of scrutiny worship, they offered Him in silence;--for empty strivings, oblations gave they Him.--Seek thou too the Firstborn, and if thou find Him in the height,--instead of troubled questionings, open thy treasures before Him,--and offer Him thy works.