 | Songs of Religion and Life |  |
31
Night.
Ιερα Νυξ.
—Homer.
Holy Night! in silence
From thy starry throne
Swaying, thee I worship,
Silent and alone.
From thy starry throne
Swaying, thee I worship,
Silent and alone.
Holy Night! how calmly
Sails the mellow moon
Through the deep blue welkin,
Fairer than the noon.
Sails the mellow moon
Through the deep blue welkin,
Fairer than the noon.
Mellow Moon! how gently
Through the voiceless night,
O'er the sleeping waters,
Streams thy silver light.
Through the voiceless night,
O'er the sleeping waters,
Streams thy silver light.
32
Holy Night! how lovely
Shoot, with sudden birth,
Hosts of shimmering arrows
From the lambent north.
Shoot, with sudden birth,
Hosts of shimmering arrows
From the lambent north.
Holy Night! thou reignest
Solemn, still, serene;
Hushed the tribes of mortals
Bow before their queen.
Solemn, still, serene;
Hushed the tribes of mortals
Bow before their queen.
Now the battling voices
Of the babbling throng
Cease; and thou may'st listen,
As it treads along,
Of the babbling throng
Cease; and thou may'st listen,
As it treads along,
To the steps of Godhead
Beating march of Time,
Slowly, surely, wisely,
Beautiful, sublime;
Beating march of Time,
Slowly, surely, wisely,
Beautiful, sublime;
33
Beating thought and feeling,
Beating vital power
In renewed creation's
Pulse, from hour to hour.
Beating vital power
In renewed creation's
Pulse, from hour to hour.
Holy Night! devoutly
While I worship thee,
Babbling Folly's echo
Dies away from me.
While I worship thee,
Babbling Folly's echo
Dies away from me.
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