Morning Hymn - St Hilary

Hymnum Dicat Turba Fralrum

Raise the song, O band of brothers,
Let the holy anthem ring;
Sound the hymn of loud laudation,
Unto Christ, our Lord and King.

Gentle Jesus, hear our voices:
Thee the Word, the Truth, the Way,
Rod of Jesse, Juda's Lion;
Thee we praise, to thee we pray.

At the right hand of the Father
Is thy throne, Most Holy One,
Thou, our Lamb, our Mount of Refuge,
Rock of hope and Corner Stone.

Lord, we hail thee as the Bride-groom,
As our Light, our Heavenly Door;
Dove of peace and tender Shepherd,
Be our guide forevermore.

By the voice of bard and prophet,
Was thy holy birth foretold,
Ere the star of morn begotten;
Maker of the world of old.

Maker of the earth and heaven,
Thou of all art Lord and King
Who didst gather up the waters
And the stars from darkness bring.

Through the womb of spotless Virgin
Thou as Saviour of the earth
Camest when the angel's "Ave"
Heralded thy wondrous birth.

Lo, thy star the Magi follow,
And their Orient offerings bring,
Bowing down in adoration
To the Child as Lord and King.

Envious Herod hears and trembles
And he seeks the Babe to slay,
Sheds the blood of infant martyrs,
But the Christ is borne away.

By an angel warned, the mother,
To the country of the Nile
Bears the blessed Child in safety,
And escapes the tyrant's guile.

Here as wanderers they tarry
Till the cruel monarch's death;
Then to Galilee returning
Seek their home at Nazareth.

Here in youth and early manhood
Many wondrous works were done;
Heavenly blessings for his people
Wrought the Christ, our Holy One.

And he preached the heavenly Kingdom,
Proving by his work the word;
Healed the sick, the blind illumined,
And the dead to life restored.

At the wedding feast of Cana
Was the water changed to wine;
With the loaves and fish, he furnished
For the throngs, a feast divine.

From his followers were chosen
Twelve to preach the living word;
One of these, the traitor Judas,
By a kiss betrayed the Lord.

Then came messengers from Annas,
Seized the Christ and led Him bound
Unto Pilate's hall for judgment,
Who in him no evil found.

But his life the mob demanded
As a foe of Caesar's throne;
So the governor delivered
To their hands the Holy One.

Then they scorned and scourged the Saviour,
Crowned with thorns and crucified;
Led him as a lamb to slaughter,
And to conquer death he died.

When he yielded up the spirit
Daylight fled and quaked the earth;
Then the temple veil was rended,
And from graves the dead came forth.

Now at eve the blessed Joseph
Lays the body in the tomb,
Where a guard of Roman Soldiers
At the priests' request is come.

While they watch the tomb, an angel,
Robed in white like morning's ray,
They behold with trembling terror,
As he rolls the stone away.

And they see the Christ triumphant
From the broken tomb arise, —
This the impious Jew beholdeth,
This the impious Jew denies.

First unto the weeping women
Doth the risen Lord appear,
Changing unto joy their sorrows,
While his gentle voice they hear.

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St Hilary (310 - c. 367) France
Translated by Daniel Joseph Donahoe
Source: Early Christian hymns, Series II: translations of the verses of the early and middle ages
by Daniel Joseph Donahoe, Donahoe pub. co, 1911