THE EPIPHANY.

A STAR SHINES FORTH IN HEAVEN SUDDENLY.

From the Syriac of EPHRÆM SYRUS, a monk and deacon in Mesopotamia, the father of Syrian psalmody (died 378). The original, with a German translation by ZINGERLE in DANIEL'S Thes. Hymnol., III. p. 149-151.

A

STAR shines forth in heaven suddenly,

A wondrous orb, less than the sun, yet
greater,-

Less in its outward light, but greater in
Its inward glory, pointing to a mystery.
That morning star sent forth its beams afar
Into the land of those who had no light;

Led them as blind men, by a way they knew not,
Until they came and saw the Light of men,
Offered their gifts, received eternal life,

Worshipped, and went their way.

Thus had the Son two heralds, one on high,
And one below. Above, the star rejoiced;
Below, the Baptist bore Him record:

Two heralds thus, one heavenly, one of earth;
That witnessing the nature of the Son,

The majesty of God, and this His human nature.
O mighty wonder! thus were they the heralds,
Both of His Godhead and His manhood.
Who held Him only for a son of earth,

To such the star proclaimed His heavenly glory;
Who held Him only for a heavenly spirit,
To such the Baptist spoke of Him as man.
And in the holy temple Simeon held the Babe
Fast in his aged arms, and sang to Him—

"To me, in Thy mercy,

An old man, Thou art come;

Thou layest my body

In peace in the tomb.

Thou soon wilt awake me,

And bid me arise;

Wilt lead me transfigured
To paradise."

Then Anna took the Babe upon

her arms,

And pressed her mouth upon His infant lips;
Then came the Holy Spirit on her lips,

As erst upon Isaiah's, when the coal

Had touched his silent lips, and opened them: With glowing heart she sang

"O Son of the King!

Though Thy birthplace was mean,

BETHLEHEM OF NOBLEST CITIES.

All-hearing, yet silent,

All-seeing, unseen,
Unknown, yet all-knowing,

God, and yet Son of Man,
Praise to Thy name!"

113

BETHLEHEM! OF NOBLEST CITIES. (O sola magnarum urbium.)

AURELIUS PRUdentius ClemENS (born 348). From the Latin, by E. CASWALL (Lyra Catholica). The text of the Roman Breviary, in DANIEL, I. p. 127, and in the separate editions of the poems of Prudentius. This translation is altered, but not im proved, in Hymns Ancient and Modern, No. 59: "Earth has many a noble city."

BETHLEHEM! of noblest cities,

None can once with thee compare ;

Thou alone the Lord from heaven
Didst for us incarnate bear.

Fairer than the sun at morning
Was the star that told His birth;
To the lands their God announcing,
Hid beneath a form of earth.

By its lambent beauty guided,

See, the Eastern kings appear;
See them bend, their gifts to offer,-
Gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh.

VOL. I. -8

Offerings of mystic meaning!-
Incense doth the God disclose;
Gold a royal child proclaimeth;
Myrrh a future tomb foreshows.

Holy Jesu! in Thy brightness
To the Gentile world displayed!
With the Father, and the Spirit,
Endless praise to Thee be paid!

WHAT STAR IS THIS WITH BEAMS SO BRIGHT?

(Quæ stella sole pulchrior?)

By C. COFFIN, included in the Paris Breviary, 1736. Translated from the Latin, by Rev. J. CHANDLER, Hymns of the Primitive Church, London, 1837.

W

THAT star is this, with beams so bright, Which shame the sun's less radiant light? It shines to announce a new-born King, Glad tidings of our God to bring.

99

"Tis now fulfilled what God decreed, "From Jacob shall a Star proceed: And lo! the Eastern sages stand,

To read in heaven the Lord's command.

WHAT STAR IS THIS WITH BEAMS SO BRIGHT? 115

While outward signs the star displays,
An inward light the Lord conveys,
And urges them, with force benign,
To seek the Giver of the sign.

True love can brook no dull delay,
Nor toil nor dangers stop their way:
Home, kindred, fatherland, and all,
They leave at once, at God's high call.

O Jesu, while the star of grace
Invites us now to seek Thy face,
May we no more that grace repel,
Or quench that light which shines so well!

To God the Father, God the Son
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,
May every tongue and nation raise
An endless song of thankful praise!