Hymn For The Epiphany (Hymnus Epiphaniae)

Newly Translated Into English Verse By R. Martin Pope is below this original.     Hymnus Epiphaniae             Quicumque Christum quaeritis,         oculos in altum tollite,         illic licebit visere         signum perennis gloriae.             Haec stella, quae solis rotam         vincit decore ac lumine,         venisse terris nuntiat         cum carne terrestri Deum.             Non illa servit noctibus         secuta lunam menstruam,         sed sola caelum possidens         cursum dierum temperat.             Arctoa quamvis sidera         in se retortis motibus         obire nolint, attamen         plerumque sub nimbis latent.             Hoc sidus aeternum manet,         haec stella nunquam mergitur,         nec nubis occursu abdita         obumbrat obductam facem.             Tristis cometa intercidat,         et si quod astrum Sirio         fervet vapore, iam Dei         sub luce destructum cadat.             En Persici ex orbis sinu,         sol unde sumit ianuam,         cernunt periti interpretes         regale vexillum Magi.             Quod ut refulsit, ceteri         cessere signorum globi,         nec pulcher est ausus suam         conferre formam Lucifer.             Quis iste tantus, inquiunt,         regnator astris inperans,         quem sic tremunt caelestia,         cui lux et aethra inserviunt.             Inlustre quiddam cernimus,         quod nesciat finem pati,         sublime, celsum, interminum,         antiquius caelo et chao.             Hic ille rex est gentium         populique rex Iudaici,         promissus Abrahae patri         eiusque in aevum semini.             Aequanda nam stellis sua         cognovit olim germina         primus sator credentium,         nati inmolator unici.             Iam flos subit Davidicus         radice Iesse editus,         sceptrique per virgam virens         rerum cacumen occupat.             Exin sequuntur perciti         fixis in altum vultibus,         qua stella sulcum traxerat         claramque signabat viam.             Sed verticem pueri supra         signum pependit inminens,         pronaque submissum face         caput sacratum prodidit.             Videre quod postquam Magi,         eoa promunt munera,         stratique votis offerunt         tus, myrrham, et aurum regium.             Agnosce clara insignia         virtutis ac regni tui,         puer o, cui trinam Pater         praedestinavit indolem.             Regem Deumque adnuntiant         thesaurus et fragrans odor         turis Sabaei, ac myrrheus         pulvis sepulcrum praedocet.             Hoc est sepulcrum, quo Deus,         dum corpus extingui sinit         atque id sepultum suscitat,         mortis refregit carcerem.             O sola magnarum urbium         maior Bethlem, cui contigit         ducem salutis caelitus         incorporatum gignere.             Altrice te summo Patri         haeres creatur unicus,         homo ex tonantis spiritu         idemque sub membris Deus.             Hunc et prophetis testibus         isdemque signatoribus,         testator et sator iubet         adire regnum et cernere:             Regnum, quod ambit omnia         diva et marina et terrea         a solis ortu ad exitum         et tartara et caelum supra.             Audit tyrannus anxius         adesse regum principem,         qui nomen Israel regat         teneatque David regiam.             Exclamat amens nuntio,         successor instat, pellimur;         satelles i, ferrum rape,         perfunde cunas sanguine.             Mas omnis infans occidat,         scrutare nutricum sinus,         interque materna ubera         ensem cruentet pusio.             Suspecta per Bethlem mihi         puerperarum est omnium         fraus, ne qua furtim subtrahat         prolem virilis indolis.             Transfigit ergo carnifex         mucrone destricto furens         effusa nuper corpora,         animasque rimatur novas.             Locum minutis artubus         vix interemptor invenit,         quo plaga descendat patens         iuguloque maior pugio est.             O barbarum spectaculum!         inlisa cervix cautibus         spargit cerebrum lacteum         oculosque per vulnus vomit.             Aut in profundum palpitans         mersatur infans gurgitem,         cui subter artis faucibus         singultat unda et halitus.             Salvete flores martyrum,         quos lucis ipso in limine         Christi insecutor sustulit,         ceu turbo nascentes rosas.             Vos prima Christi victima,         grex inmolatorum tener,         aram ante ipsam simplices         palma et coronis luditis.             Quid proficit tantum nefas,         quid crimen Herodem iuvat?         unus tot inter funera         inpune Christus tollitur.             Inter coaevi sanguinis         fluenta solus integer         ferrum, quod orbabat nurus,         partus fefellit virginis.             Sic stulta Pharaonis mali         edicta quondam fugerat         Christi figuram praeferens         Moyses, receptor civium.             Cautum et statutum ius erat,         quo non liceret matribus,         cum pondus alvi absolverent,         puerile pignus tollere.             Mens obstetricis sedulae         pie in tyrannum contumax         ad spem potentis gloriae         furata servat parvulum:             Quem mox sacerdotem sibi         adsumpsit orbis conditor,         per quem notatam saxeis         legem tabellis traderet.             Licetne Christum noscere         tanti per exemplum viri?         dux ille caeso Aegyptio         absolvit Israel iugo.             At nos subactos iugiter         erroris inperio gravi         dux noster hoste saucio         mortis tenebris liberat.             Hic expiatam fluctibus         plebem marino in transitu         repurgat undis dulcibus,         lucis columnam praeferens:             Hic praeliante exercitu,         pansis in altum brachiis,         sublimis Amalech premit,         crucis quod instar tunc fuit.             Hic nempe Iesus verior,         qui longa post dispendia         victor suis tribulibus         promissa solvit iugera.             Qui ter quaternas denique         refluentis amnis alveo         fundavit et fixit petras,         apostolorum stemmata.             Iure ergo se Iudae ducem         vidisse testantur Magi,         cum facta priscorum ducum         Christi figuram finxerint.             Hic rex priorum iudicum,         rexere qui Iacob genus,         dominaeque rex ecclesiae,         templi et novelli et pristini.             Hunc posteri Efrem colunt,         hunc sancta Manasse domus         omnesque suspiciunt tribus         bis sena fratrum semina.             Quin et propago degener         ritum secuta inconditum,         quaecumque dirum fervidis         Baal caminis coxerat,             fumosa avorum numina         saxum, metallum, stipitem,         rasum, dolatum, sectile,         in Christi honorem deserit.             Gaudete quidquid gentium est,         Iudaea, Roma, et Graecia,         Aegypte, Thrax, Persa, Scytha,         rex unus omnes possidet.             Laudate vestrum principem         omnes beati, ac perditi,         vivi, inbecilli ac mortui:         iam nemo posthac mortuus.     Hymn For The Epiphany         Lift up your eyes, whoe'er ye be         That fare the new-born Christ to see:         For yonder is the shining sign         Of grace perennial and divine.         What means this star, whose piercing rays         Outshine the sun's resplendent blaze?         'Tis token sure that God is come         In mortal flesh to make His home.         No courtier of the realms of night         Nor monthly moon's bright acolyte,         This star directs the course of day,         Sole sovereign of the heavenly way.         Although the Bears their track retrace,         Nor wholly their clear beams efface,         Yet ofttimes 'neath the dun cloud's haze         They hide themselves from mortal gaze.         But yon Star's glory hath no end,         Nor to the depths can it descend:         It ne'er is whelmed by envious cloud         That seeks its beauty to enshroud.         Now let the baleful comet die,         The brood of blazing Sirius fly:         God's orb shall quench their sultry heats         And drive them from their haughty seats.         Lo! from the regions of the morn         Wherein the radiant sun is born,         The Persian sages see on high         God's ensign shining in the sky.         Soon as its rising beams prevail         The starry hosts in order pale:         E'en Lucifer durst not upraise         The silvery splendours of his face.         Who is this sovereign (they enquire)         That lords it o'er the ethereal choir?         'Fore whom the heavens bow down afraid,         Of all the worlds of light obeyed?         Sure 'tis the sign most reverend         Of Being that doth know no end:         Of One in state sublime arrayed         Ere sky and chaos yet were made.         This is the King of Israel,         Of all in Gentile lands that dwell:         The King to Abram and his seed         Throughout all ages erst decreed.         To him 'twas given his progeny         As stars innumerous to see:         First of believers! moved to slay         His only son, so God to obey.         Behold the Flower of David shine,         Of Jesse's root the Branch benign:         The sceptre spread with blossoms rare         Wields o'er the world its lordship fair.         Roused by the portent of the sky         The sages fix their gaze on high,         And speed them 'neath the furrowed way         Marked by the star's effulgent ray.         At length its flaming steps it stayed         Poised over where the Child was laid:         Straightway with downcast mien it shed         Its splendours on the sacred Head.         Whereat the travellers outpour         Of Eastern gifts their treasure-store,         Myrrh and sweet-smelling frankincense,         Gold meet for regal opulence.         Behold herein the triple sign         Of Thy pure being, King divine:         Seeing the Father willed in Thee         To plant a threefold majesty.         The gift of gold thee King proclaims:         Thee God the fragrant incense names:         The myrrh declares that Death shall thrust         Within the tomb Thy body's dust.         Ah! that dark sepulchre, whose fold         God's body quenched in death doth hold:         Yet shall He from that durance wake         And Death's strong prison-fetters break.         O Bethlehem! no longer thou         The least of cities: all shall vow         That thou art greatest on the earth:         For thou man's King didst bring to birth.         Yea thou didst on thy bosom bear         The All-loving Father's only heir:         Man of the Thunderer's Spirit made         And God in human flesh arrayed.         The prophets witnessed to the bond         Which sealed to Him the realm profound:         The Father's Kingdom He received         And the vast legacy perceived.         All things are His in sea and sky,         In hell beneath, in heaven on high:         From East to setting sun, in fee         He holds the earth's immensity.         Distraught, the tyrant base doth hear         That now the King of Kings draws near         To reign in David's seat of state         And Israel's empire dominate.         "Betrayed are we," he maddened cries,         "Our throne's usurper doth arise:         Go, soldiers, go with sword in hand         And slay all babes within my land.         "Spare no male child: each nurse's robe         Your scrutinizing steel must probe:         Spare not the suckling infant, though         O'er mother's breast its life-blood flow.         "On Bethlehem our suspicion falls,         On every hearth within its walls:         Lest mothers with love's tender zeal         Some manly scion may conceal."         With daggers drawn the infuriate crew         Upon their murderous errand flew:         Each latest offspring of the womb         To bloody death they foully doom.         Ah tiny limbs! 'twas hard to know         How best to strike the fatal blow:         Too wide the sword-blades are to smite         Those throats so silken-fragile, slight.         O horrid sight! the tender bones         Are dashed against the jaggd stones:         Sightless and mangled there they lie,         Poor babes! untimely doomed to die.         Perchance the still deep river laves         Their bodies thrust into the waves:         The current with their sighing sighs,         Sobs with their latest, broken cries.         Ye flowers of martyrdom, all hail!         Of rising morn pure blossoms frail!         By Jesu's foe were ye downcast,         Like budding roses by the blast.         Lambs of the flock too early slain,         Ye first fruits of Christ's bitter pain!         Close to His very altar, gay         With palms and crowns, ye now do play.         Of what avail is deed so vile?         Doth Herod gain by murderous guile?         Of all to death so foully done         Escapes triumphant Christ alone.         Amidst that tide of infant gore         Alone He wins the sheltering shore:         The virgin's Child survives the stroke,         When every mother's heart was broke.         Thus Moses 'scaped the mad decree         Of evil Pharaoh and set free         The flock of God, prefiguring so         Christ spared from fate's malignant blow.         Vain too the king's hostility         Who framed the pitiless decree         That Israel's mothers should not rear         To manhood's strength their offspring dear.         Quickened by love, a woman's mind         Found means to thwart that law unkind,         And, falsely true, the child concealed         Destined to be his people's Shield.         On him it was that God did place         The august priesthood's holy grace,         The law on stony tablets writ         Did to his trembling hands commit.         And may we not with prophet's eye         In such a hero Christ descry?         The proud Egyptian's might he broke         And freed his kinsmen from the yoke.         So we by Error's might hemmed round         Were by our Captain's strength unbound:         His foe He wounded in the fight         And saved us from Death's horrid night.         Cheering by sign of flame their feet,         Moses renewed with waters sweet         His folk, albeit purified         From stain, what time they crossed the tide.         And he, remote on peaceful height,         Amalek's banded hosts did smite:         He prayed with arms stretched out above,         Foreshadowing the Cross of Love.         Yet truer Jesus surely he,         Who after many a victory         And labours long the tribes' renown         With promised heritage did crown;         Who when the waters rose on high         And now the Jordan's bed was dry,         Set up twelve stones of memory,         Types of apostles yet to be.         Rightly the Wise Men said, I ween,         That they Judaea's King had seen,         Since noble deeds of other days         Prophetic chant the Saviour's praise.         Of those old rulers He is King         Who did to Jacob judgment bring,         King of the Mother Church divine,         God's ancient and God's present Shrine.         Of Ephraim's sons He is adored:         Manasseh's sacred house as Lord         Reveres Him: to His might the seed         Of brethren twelve their fealty plead.         Nay, each degenerate race hath fled         Its shameful rites and orgies dread:         Grim Baal in glowing furnace cast         Sinks to the earth, forsook at last.         Idols smoke-blackened, wooden-hewn,         Of brass and stone, in dust are strewn:         The chiselled deities downtrod:         For all confess in Christ their God.         Rejoice all peoples, Jewry, Rome,         Fair Hellas, Thrace, Aegyptus' home:         Persians and Scythian land forlorn,         Rejoice: the world's great King is born!         Behold your Chief! His praise forth tell:         Ye sick, ye hale, all heaven and hell:         Ay, you whose vital spark hath sped:         For lo! in Him e'en Death is dead.