R., Blessed be Thy Birth which has stirred up all!
11. The bosom of Mary amazes me, that it sufficed for Thee, Lord, and embraced Thee.--All creation were too small, to conceal Thy Majesty;--Heaven and earth too narrow, to be in the likeness of wings, [506] to cover Thy Godhead.--Too small for Thee was the bosom of earth; great enough for Thee was the bosom of Mary.--He dwelt in the bosom and healed in her bosom.
R.,
12. He was wrapped meanly in swaddling clothes, and offerings were offered Him.--He put on garments in youth, and from them there came forth helps: He put on the waters of baptism, and from them there shone forth beams:--He put on linen cloths in death, and in them were shown forth triumphs; with His humiliations, His exaltations.
R., Blessed be He Who joined His Glory to His Passion!
13. All these are the changes of raiment, which Mercy put off and put on,--when He strove to put on Adam, the glory which he had put off.--He was wrapped in swaddling-clothes as Adam with leaves; and clad in garments instead of skins.--He was baptized for Adam's sin, and buried for Adam's death:--He rose and raised Adam into Glory.
R., Blessed be He Who came down and clothed him and went up!
14. Though Thy Birth had sufficed, for Adam's sons as for Adam;--O Mighty One Who didst become a babe, in Thy Birth anew hast Thou begotten me!--O pure One Who wast baptized, let Thy Washing wash away our filth--O Living One who wast buried, may we gain life in Thy death!--I will praise all of Thee in Him that fills all.
R., Glory to all of Thee from all of us!
[506] The word used for "bosom" in this stanza, also means "wing."
Hymn XVII.
(Resp., Praise to Thee from every mouth on this Day of Thy Birth!)
1. Infants were slain because of Thy Birth, Thou Giver of life to all--But because He Who was slain was a King, our Lord the Lord of Kingdoms,--the tyrant in subtlety, gave for Him slain hostages,--clad in the mysteries of His slaying: the ranks of heaven received,--the hostages that they of earth offered.
R., Blessed be the King who magnified Him!
2. All the Kings of the house of David, transmitted and hauled on each to each,--the throne and crown of the Son of David, as guardian of a deposit.--In one they reached their bound and limit, when He came, the Lord of all things,--and took away from them all things, and cut off the transmission of all things....
R., Blessed be He Who is clad in that which is His!
3. The doves moaned in Bethlehem, that the serpent destroyed their offspring.--The eagle betook himself to Egypt, to go down and receive the promises.--Egypt rejoiced in Him that there came, abundance for payment of debts,--which had failed the sons of Joseph. Among the sons of Joseph He laboured and paid--the debts of the sons of Joseph.
R., Blessed is He Who called Him out of Egypt!
4. The Scribes read daily, that the Star arises out of Jacob.--For the People were the Voice and the reading, for the nations the rising of the Star and the interpretation:--for them were the Books and for us the facts; for them boughs and for us fruits.--The Scribes read in things written; the Magi saw in things done, the outshining of that which was read.
R., Blessed be He Who added to us their books!
5. Who is able to tell, of the withdrawal and the appearings,--of the shining star that went, before the bearers of the offerings?--It appeared and proclaimed the crown; it was hid and concealed His Body.--It was for the Son in twofold wise, herald and guardian;--it guarded His Body, it proclaimed His Crown.
R., Blessed is He Who has given wisdom to them that proclaim Him!
6. The tyrant gazed on the Magi, as they asked "Where is the son of the King?"--While his heart was gloomy, he sought for himself a cheerful countenance.--With the sheep he sent wolves, that should kill the Lamb of God.--The Lamb went down to Egypt, that thence He might judge them,--whence He had saved them.
R., Blessed be He Who yet again subdued them.
7. The Magi declared to the tyrant, "When thy servants joined us,--the bright star withdrew itself, yea the paths hid themselves."--The blessed ones knew not, that the king had sent bitter foes,--murderers as if worshippers, to destroy the sweet fruit,--whereof the bitter eat and are made sweet.
R., To Thee be glory, Medicine of life!
8. When there the Magi received, commandment to go and seek Him.--it is written of them that they saw, that bright star and rejoiced.--Thus it is known that it had been withdrawn; therefore rejoiced they at its aspect.--It was hid and hindered the murderers, it arose and called the worshippers;--it overthrew a part and it called a part.
R., Blessed be He Who has triumphed in both parts!
9. The abhorred one who slew the children, how did he overlook the Child?--Justice hindered him that he thought, the Magi would return to him.--While he stayed waiting to seize, the Worshipped and His worshippers,--everything escaped his hands, the offerings and the worshippers took flight,--from the tyrant to the Son of the King.
R., Glory to Him who knows all counsels!
10. The blameless Magi as they slept, meditated on their beds:--sleep became a mirror, and a dream rose on it as light.--The murderer they saw and trembled, as his guile and his sword flashed forth.--He taught the men guile, he sharpened the sword to sharpness:--the Watcher taught the sleepers.
R., Blessed is He who gives prudence to the simple!
11. The simple who believe have known, two Comings of Christ:--but the foolish scribes have not even perceived one Coming.--Yet the nations have life in the first, and shall rise again there in the second.--The People whose mind is blinded, the first Coming has dispersed;--the second shall blot out their memory.
R., Blessed be the King Who is come and is to come!
12. When the Saviour arose as the blind, the Sun showed forth his beams,--and they were clothed in darkness: the Brightness sent forth his light,--and He brought the sons of the stars, to make manifest the sons of darkness.--For lo! among you is the star, but on your eyes the veil.
R., To Thee be glory, newborn Sun!
13. Prophets declared concerning His Birth, but they made not plain the time thereof.--He sent the Magi, and they came and showed of its time.--Yet the Magi who made known the time, made not plain who the Child should be.--A star of splendid light, in its course showed who the Child was,--how splendid was His lineage.
R., Blessed be He Who by them all was pointed out!
14. They scorned the trumpet of Isaiah, which sounded forth His pure Conception,--they silenced the lute of the Psalms, which sang of His Priesthood;--the harp of the Spirit they hushed, which sang again of His Kingdom;--under deep silence they closed up, the great Birth that joined the cry--of them above with them below.
R., Blessed be He Who appeared in the midst of silence!
15. His voice was the secret key that opened the mouths of the Magi.--Whereas preachers were silent in Judah, they made their voice sound through creation;--and the Gospel which those had scorned, these who came from far took and departed.--The scorners began to hear their own orders from strangers, who cried out the name of the Son of David.
R., Blessed be He Who by our voice has put them to silence!
16. Whereas the People scorned offerings, and brought them not to Him the Son of the King,--He sent His herald to the nations, and caused them to come with their offerings:--yet not all of them caused He to come, for it could not suffice for them,--the narrow bosom of Bethlehem; but the bosom of Holy Church,--enlarged itself and contained her children.
R., Blessed be He Who has made the barren fruitful!
17. The slayers of Bethlehem mowed down the tender flowers that among them--should perish the tender seedling, wherein was hidden the Bread of life.--But the ear of corn that has life had escaped, that it should come to the sheaves in harvest:--the grape that escaped when young, gave itself to the treading,--that its wine might give life to souls.
R., Glory to Thee, Treasury of life!
18. The murderers went into a paradise, full of tender fruits:--they shook off the flowers from the bough, blossoms and buds they destroyed,--unblemished oblations he offered, the persecutor unwittingly.--To him woe, but to them blessing! Bethlehem was first to give, virgin fruits to the Holy One.
R., Blessed is He Who receives the first fruits!
19. The Scribes were silenced in envy, the Pharisees in jealousy.--Men of stone cried out and gave praise, who had a heart of stone.--They applauded in presence of the Stone, the rejected that has become the Head.--Stones were made flesh by that Stone, and obtained mouths to speak; stones cried out through that Stone.
R., Blessed be Thy Birth that has caused stones to cry out!
20. The Star that is written in Scripture, the nations beheld from afar,--that the People might be shamed which is near; O People instructed and puffed up! which by the nations hast been in turn instructed, how and where they saw,--that vision whereof Balaam spake; a stranger he who spread abroad concerning it,--strangers they who saw it.
R., Blessed is He Who has provoked to jealousy them of His own house!
21. Let my supplication draw nigh to Thy Door, yea my poverty to Thy Treasury!--Give to me my Lord without measure, as God unto man!--And though Thou increase gifts as Son of the Blessed, and though Thou add to them as Son of the King;--though I be thankless as are all creatures of dust, as Adam so is the son of Adam,--and as the Blessed so too is the Son of the Blessed.
R., Praise be to Thee Who art like unto Thy Father!
Hymn XVIII.
Resp.--Praise be to Him Who sent Him! (bis)
1. Blessed art thou, O Church, for lo! in thee is the sound,--of the great feast the festival of the King!--Sion is deserted, her gates are sore athirst,--and forsaken of festivals.--Blessed thy gates that are open yet not filled,--and thy halls that are enlarged yet suffice not!--In the midst of thee lo! is the sound, of the nations that cry out, and have put to silence the People.
2. Blessed art thou, O Church, that in thy festivals,--the Watchers rejoice amid thy festivity!--for one night the Watchers gave praise,--on the earth which withheld and refused praise.--Blessed thy voices that have been sown and reaped,--and in Heaven stored up in garners!--Thy mouth is a censer, and thy voices as perfumes, breathing vapour in thy festivals.
3. Blessed art thou, O Church, that all oblations,--are brought unto thee in this feast.--The Magi once among traitors, offered them to the Truth.--Blessed thy abode that He bowed Himself and dwelt therein, Son of the King Who is worshipped with gifts!--Gold from the West, and spices from the East,--are offered in Thy Festivals.
4. Blessed art thou, O Church, that there is not with thee,--a tyrant King slayer of babes! for he killed in Bethlehem the little ones at random,--that he might put to death the Child that gives life to all.--Blessed thy children that are envied and worshipped,--by Kings, for those are promised for Thy worship,--the crowns of the East:--he who trod down thy dear ones, shall be trodden down by thy beloved.
5. Blessed art thou, O Church, for lo! over thee,--Isaiah too exults in his prophecy,--"Lo a Virgin shall conceive and bear,--a Son" Whose name is great mystery!--O interpretation revealed in the Church!--two names that were joined and became one;--"Emmanuel,"--God be with thee ever, Who joined thee with His members!
6. Blessed art thou, O Church, in Micah who cried out,--"A Shepherd shall come forth from Ephrata":--for He came to Bethlehem to take--from thence the rod of Jesse and to rule the nations.--Blessed thy lambs that are sealed with His seal,--and thy sheep that are kept by His sword!--Thou art, O Church,--the abiding Bethlehem,--for in thee is the Bread of Life! [507]
7. Blessed art thou, O Church, for lo! in thee rejoices,--Daniel also the man beloved,--who foretold that the glorious Messiah shall be killed,--and the city of holiness be laid desolate at His killing!--Woe to the People that was rejected and is not converted--Blessed the nations that were called and turned not away!--The bidden guests refused,--and others in their stead enjoyed their banquet.
8. Blessed art thou, O Church, for on thy, lute, lo! King David sings psalms in thee! In the Spirit he sings of Him "Thou art My Son and I--this day have begotten Thee" in the glories of holiness.--Blessed thy ears that have been purged to hear!--On His day watch thou as His Body and call on Him;--be taught by Sion,--which saddened His Feast; make Him glad Who has gladdened thee.
9. Blessed art thou, O Church, that all festivals--have taken flight from Sion and sheltered with thee!--In the midst of thee the wearied Prophets have found rest,--from the labour and the reproachthey bore in Judah.--Blessed the books unrolled in thy temples,--and the festivals celebrated in thy shrines!--Sion is forsaken,--and lo! today the nations shout in thy festivals.