(.—Glory to all of Thee from all of us! (bis.)
1. Who then that is mortal man, can declare
concerning the All-Life giver,—Who quitted the height of His
Majesty, and abased Himself to humility?—Thou Who exaltest
all in Thy Birth, exalt my weak mind,—to declare of Thy Birth; not that I should search out Thy Majesty,—but that I should proclaim Thy grace.
R., Blessed be He Who conceals and reveals in His
discourses!
2. It is a great marvel that the Son, dwelt
wholly in a body;—abode therein wholly and it sufficed for Him; dwelt therein though not bounded thereby.—His Will was wholly therein; His bounds reached wholly to His Father.—Who is sufficient to tell, how though He dwelt wholly in a body.—He likewise dwelt wholly in all?
R., Blessed is He Who though without bounds was
bounded!
3. Thy Majesty is concealed from us; Thy Grace is
revealed before us.—I will be silent, O Lord of Thy Majesty; and
I will tell of Thy grace.—Thy grace clove to Thee, and bowed Thee
down to our vileness:—Thy grace made Thee a babe; Thy grace made
Thee man:—it straitened, it enlarged, Thy Majesty.
R., Blessed be the might that became little and became
great!
4. Glory to Him Who became lowly, though lofty He
was by His nature!—He became in His love the firstborn of Mary, Firstborn though He be of Godhead.—He became in name the offspring of Joseph, offspring though He be of the Most High.—He became by His own Will man, God though He be by His Nature.—Glorified be Thy Will and Thy Nature!
R., Blessed be Thy Glory which put on our image!
5. Yea, O Lord, Thy Birth, has become mother
of all creatures; for it travailed anew and gave birth, to
mankind which gave birth to Thee. Thou wast born of it bodily; it
was born of Thee spiritually.—All that Thou camest for to birth, was that man might be born in Thy likeness.—Thy Birth became the author of birth to all.
R., Blessed be He Who became a youth and to all gave
youth!
6. When man’s hope had broken down, hope was
increased by Thy Birth.—Good tidings of hope they bore, the
Heavenly Ones to men.—Satan who cut off our hope, his own hope by
his own hands had cut off.—when he saw that hope was
increased: Thy Birth became to the hopeless,—a fountain
teaming with hope.
R., Blessed be He Who bore the tidings of hope!
7. The day of Thy Birth is like Thee, for it is
desired and loved as Thou.—We who saw not Thy Birth, and its
flame as in its own time,—in this Thy day we see Thee, even as
Thou wast a babe;—beloved by all men, lo! in Thee the Churches
rejoice;—Thy day adorns and is adorned.
R., Blessed be Thy day which was ordained for us!
8. Thy day has given us a gift, to which the
Father has none other like;—It was not Seraphim He sent us, nor
yet did Cherubim come down among us;—there came not Watchers
or Ministers, but the Firstborn to Whom they minister.—Who
can suffice to give thanks, that the Majesty which is beyond
measure—is laid in the lowly manger!
R., Blessed be He Who gave us what He had won!
9. That generation Thy Birth made glad, and
our generation Thy day makes glad: twofold was the
happiness of that generation, for they saw Thy Birth and also Thy
day:—less is the happiness of them that come after, for
the day of Thy Birth they see only.—Yet because they that then
were, doubted, greater is the happiness of them that come
after,—who though they have not seen Thee have believed in
Thee.
R., Blessed be Thy happiness that is added to us!
10. The Magi exalted from afar; the Scribes
murmured near at hand;—the prophet showed his message, and Herod
his wrath;—the scribes showed their doctrine, the Magi showed
their offerings. It is a marvel that to Him, the Babe, they of
His own house hasted with their swords, and they that were strangers
with their offerings.
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, 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.,