Hymns of the Eastern Church: S. Cosmas: Canon For Christmas Day, Ode VIII.
Hymns of the Eastern Church, by J.M. Neale, [1884]
Canon for Christmas Day
by S. Cosmas
θαύματος ὑπερφυοῦς ἡ δροσοβόλος.
The dewy freshness that the furnace flings
Works out a wond'rous type of future things:
Nor did the flame the Holy Three consume,
Nor did the Godhead's fire thy frame entomb,
Thou, on Whose bosom hung the Word:
Wherefore we cry with hearts endeavour,
"Let all Creation bless the Loin,
And magnify His Name for ever!"
Babel's proud daughter once led David's race
From Sion, to their exile's woful place:
Babel now bids her wise men, gifts in hand,
Before King David's Royal Daughter stand, p. 146
The Mother of the Incarnate Word:
Wherefore we cry with heart's endeavour,
"Let all Creation bless the Lord,
And magnify His Name for ever!"
From music grief held back the exile's hand:
"How sing the Lord's song in an alien land?"
But Babel's exile here is done away,
And Bethlehem's harmony this glorious day
By Thee, Incarnate God, restored:
Wherefore we cry with heart's endeavour,
"Let all Creation bless the Lord,
And magnify His Name for ever!"
Of old victorious Babel bore away,
The spoils of Royal Sion and her prey:
But Babel's treasure now, and Babel's kings,
Christ, by the guiding star, to Sion brings, p. 147
There they knelt, and there ador’d:
Wherefore we cry with heart's endeavour,
Let all Creation bless the Lord,
And magnify His Name for ever!"