Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 19Hymn XIX.

(Resp.--Blessed be thy Birth that gladdens all creatures!)

1. The first year wherein, our Saviour was born,--is source of blessing, and ground of life;--for by it are borne,--manifold triumphs, the sum of all help:--as the first day of "the beginning,"--the great pillar of all creatures,--bears the building of Creation;--so the year of the Firstborn bears help for man.

2. In the second year, of our Saviour's Birth,--the Magi exult, the Pharisees mourn:--treasures are opened,--kings are hastening, and infants are slain.--For in it are offered in Bethlehem,--oblations precious and terrible;--for while love made offering of gold,--hatred offered infants by the sword.

3. The day of the All-Lightening, exults in His birth;--a pillar of radiance, which drives away, by its beams--the works of darkness. After the type of that day, wherein light was created,--and sundered the darkness that spread--over the fair beauty of Creation;--the radiance of our Saviour's birth--came in to sunder the darkness that was on the heart.

4. The first day the source and the beginning,--orders the roots, to make all things grow.--Our Saviour's day--is praised far above it, a tree planted in the world.--For His Death is as the root in the earth; His Resurrection as the head in heaven; on all sides His words reach as boughs; likewise His Body as fruit for the eaters.

5. Let the second day, sing praise to the Birth--of the second Son, and His voice which first--commanded the firmament and it was made,--divided the waters that were above, and gathered the seas that were under.--He Who divided waters from waters, divided Himself from the Watchers and came down to man.--For the waters which at His command were gathered.--He cleft the fountain of life and gave drink.

6. Let the third day weave with divers hymns--the crown of psalms and with one voice present it--for His Birth who gave growth--of buds and flowers, on the third day.--But now He the All-giver of growth,--has come down and become the All-holy Flower; from the thirsting earth has sprang forth and gone up,--that he may decorate and crown the conquerors.

7. Let the fourth day praise, first among the four,--His Birth Who created as the fourth day--the two lightgivers,--which fools worship, and are sightless and blind.--The Lord of Lightgivers has come down,--and from the womb has shone on us as the Sun.--His splendours have opened the eyes of the blind:--His rays have given light to the wandering.

8. Let the fifth day laud Him Who created--on the fifth day creeping things and Dragons--of whose kind is the serpent.--He deceived with guile our mother, a maid void of counsel.--The deceiver who had mocked the maid,--by the Dove was exposed as false,--which from a virgin bosom sprang, and came forth--the Wise that trod down the crafty.

9. Let the sixth day laud Him who created--on Vesper-day Adam, whom Satan envied; as a feigned friend--cheered him in offering poison in his food.--The medicine of life reached them both,--put on a body and came near to both.--The mortal tasted Him and lived through Him;--the devourer who ate Him was left void.

10. Let the seventh day hallow the Holy One,--Who halloweth the Sabbath, and gave rest to all that live.--The Blessed One Who wearied not--has care for mankind, and has care for the beasts.--When Freedom fell under the yoke,--He came to the Birth and became bond to make it free:--He was smitten on the face by servants in the judgment hall;--He broke the yoke that was on the free, as Lord.

11. Let the eighth day, which circumcised the Hebrews,--praise Him Who commanded his namesake Joshua--to circumcise with a flint--the people circumcised in body, while the heart was profane within.--Lo! as the eighth day, as a Babe,--to circumcision He came Who circumcises all.--Though the sign of Abraham is on His Flesh,--the blind daughter of Sion had defiled it.

12. Let the tenth day sing, praises in its turn.--For God the first letter of Jesus (goodly name!), is ten in numbering.--He Who is as a lamb, turns back the numbers.--For when the number goes up to ten, it is turned back to begin again from one. O great mystery of that which is in Jesus, Whose might turns all creation back again!

13. The All-Purifier Firstborn in the day of His purifying,--purified the purification of the firstborn and was offered in the Temple:--the Lord of offering needed offerings,--to make offering of birds.--In His Birth were fulfilled the types,--in His purification and circumcision the allegories.--He came and paid over debts in His coming down;--in His Resurrection He went up and sent down treasures.