(Nearly identical with Hymn XIII. On the Nativity .)
(Resp.- To Thee be praise Who in this feast makest all to exult! )
1. In the time of the King whom they called by the name Semha -our Lord was manifested among the Hebrews.-Thus Semha and Denha reigned together,-the King on earth and the Son on high-blessed be His power!
2. In the days of the King who wrote down men in the taxing,-our Saviour came down and wrote down men in the Book of Life; He wrote and was written;-on high He wrote us, on earth He was written; glory to His Name!
3. His Birth was in the days of the King whose name was Semha.-Symbol and truth met one another;-King and King, Semha and Denha.-That kingdom bore His Cross; blessed be He Who took it up!
4. Thirty years abode He on earth in poverty.-Voices of praise in all measures,-let us weave my brethren for our Lord's years;-thirty crowns for thirty years; Blessed be His number!
5. In the first year, mistress of treasure and filled with blessings,-let the Cherubin give thanks with us, they who bear-the Son in glory Who gave up His glorious state,-and toiled and found the sheep that was lost;-to Him be thanksgiving!
6. In the second year let the Seraphin multiply thanksgiving with us;-they who cried "Holy" to the Son, and turned and saw Him-among unbelievers put to shame.-He endured scorn and taught us glory; to Him be glory given!
7. In the third year let Michael and his hosts give thanks with us;-they who were wont to serve the Son on high,- and saw Him on earth doing service.-He washed men's feet and cleansed men's souls; blessed be His meekness!
8. In the fourth year let all the heavens give thanks with us! Too narrow for the Son it shall burst to see-how He lay on the couch of despised Zaccheus.-He filled the couch and had filled the heavens;-to Him be thanksgiving!
9. In the fifth year let the Sun that burns the carth with its heat-give thanks to our Sun that He straitened His largeness,-and tempered His force that the eye might endure to see Him;-the inward eye of a pure soul; blessed be His radiance!
10. In the sixth year again let all the air give thanks with us,-in the vastness whereof all things exult.-It saw its great Lord that He became-a little babe in a lowly bosom; blessed be His honour!
11. In the seventh year let the clouds and winds sound the trumpet with us,-they whose dew sprinkles the faces of the flowers,-yet saw they the Son that He subdued His brightness,-and endured scorn and shameful spitting;-blessed be His salvation!
12. Yet again in the eighth year let Creation give glory,-from whose fountain the fruits draw nurture.-She adored when she saw the Son at the breast,-pure babe nurtured by pure milk; blessed be His good pleasure!
13. In the ninth year let the earth give glory, which when her lap is watered then brings forth the root.-She saw Mary an unwatered soil-whose fruit that she yielded isa mighty sea; to Him be exultation!
R., To Thee be glory, Son of the Lord of all, Who givest life to all!
14. In the tenth year let Mount Sinai give glory, which melted-before its Lord! It saw against its Lord-stones taken up: but He took stones-to build the Church upon the Rock; blessed be His building!
15. In the eleventh year let the great sea give thanks-to the hand of the Son Who measured it! And it wondered to see how He came down and was washed-in humble waters, He that cleanses Creation; blessed be His triumph!
16. In the twelfth year let the holy Temple give thanks-which beheld the Child as He sat-among the elders: the doctors were silenced-as the Lamb of the feast bleated in the feast; blessed be His atonement!
17. In the thirteenth year let diadems with us give thanks-to the King Who triumphed and was crowned-with a crown of thorns: He wove for man-a mighty diadem at His right hand; blessed be He That sent Him!
18. In the fourteenth year let the Passover of Egypt give thanks-to the Passover that came and made passover for all,-and instead of Pharaoh overwhelmed Legion,-and instead of horsemen drowned demons; blessed be His retribution!
19. In the fifteenth year let the lamb of the flock give thanks,-that our Lord slew it not as did Moses,-but redeemed by His Blood mankind.-He the Shepherd of all died for all; blessed be He That begat Him!
20. In the sixteenth year let the seed-corn in mystery give thanks-to that Husbandman Who gave His Body for seed-in a barren soil that corrupts all things.-It proved fertile and yielded new bread; blessed be He that is pure!
21. In the seventeenth year let the Vine give thanks to our Lord,-the Vineyard of truth, wherein souls were-as the scions. He gave peace to this vineyard, but laid waste that vineyard which bare wild grapes; blessed be the Uprooter!
22. In the eighteenth year let our leaven give thanks-to the leaven of truth that penetrates and draws-all minds and makes them to become -one mind in one doctrine; blessed be His doctrine!