St. Stephen (December 26th) - Adam of St. Victor

Lo! a rose, new odour shedding,
Bright with beauty, all exceeding,
From the halls of heaven,
Out of Egypt is invited,
And to follow Christ delighted,
After witness given.

An unhappy, evil nation
Treats its victim's self-oblation
In unworthy fashion.
And Christ's truths, for which he pleadeth;
Though therefrom he ne'er recedeth
Through his fiery passion.

In his bruised flesh he rejoices;
Bent his knee and soft his voice is,
For the Jews' race pleading,
That 'gainst them his causeless passion
Be not charged, of their transgression
Being thus unheeding.

His hope's certain expectation
Is confirmed to demonstration,
When he Christ perceiveth
In His Father's glory standing;
On the rock then, safe contending,
Awe-struck foes he driveth.

As a grape, the wine-press feeding,
Would have wine pressed thence by treading,
Lest it useless seemeth;
So the martyr stoning pleaseth,
Knowing his reward increaseth,
As his life-blood streameth.

Let us, through earth's desert driven
Here and there, to follow Stephen
In his course endeavour;
That, safe such a leader under,
We the Triune's true light yonder
May enjoy for ever! Amen.

---

Adam of St. Victor (1112 - 1146) France
Translated by Digby Strangeways Wrangham
Source: The liturgical poetry of Adam of St. Victor: from the text of Gautier
Léon Gautier & Digby Strangeways Wrangham, K. Paul, Trench, 1881