The world's Light shines: shine as it will,
The world will love its darknesse still.
I doubt though, when the world's in hell,
It will not love its darknesse halfe so well. Cr.
ANOTHER VERSION.
Behold the day of Christ! God comes with light;
Yet the world loves the darkness of the night.
Therefore the world to Stygian darkness will
Be damn'd: and doth the world love darkness still? B.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
Lo, God comes girt with light,
and all the world o'ershines:
The world abides in night,
nor watcheth for the signs.
To Stygian darkness hurl'd
on the great Day of Doom,
Shalt thou, night-loving world,
still love thy lightless gloom? G.
LXIV.
Dives implorat guttam. Luc. xvi. 24.
O mihi si digito tremat et tremat unica summo
Gutta! ô si flammas mulceat una meas!
Currat opum quocunque volet levis unda mearum;
Una mihi haec detur gemmula, Dives ero.
Dives asking a drop.
A drop, one drop! how sweetly one faire drop
Would tremble on my pearle-tipt finger's top!
My wealth is gone: O, goe it where it will,
Spare this one iewell, I'le be Dives still. Cr.
LXV.
Quomodo potest homo gigni qui est senex? Joan. iii. 4.
Dic, Phoenix unde in nitidos novus emicat annos,
Plaudit et elusos aurea penna rogos?
Quis colubrum dolus insinuat per secula retro,
Et jubet emeritum luxuriare latus?
Cur rostro pereunte suam praedata senectam
Torva ales, rapido plus legit ore diem?
Immo, sed ad nixus praestat Lucina secundos?
Natales seros unde senex habeat.
Ignoras, Pharisaee? sat est: jam credere disces:
Dimidium fidei, qui bene nescit, habet.
How can a man be born when he is old?
See how new Phœnix into bright life springs,
And fans the unhurting flames with golden wings.
O'er snake what subtle change creeps as months flow,
Bidding its faded frame with beauty glow.
Why, on itself with worn beak having prey'd,
Is raven old more youthful swift array'd?
O'er second birth-throes bears Lucina sway,
Whence an old man may have late natal day?
Pharisee, know'st not? Well, now faith thou'lt learn:
Wisely to know not, half faith's crown doth earn. R. Wi.
LXVI.
Arbor Christi jussu arescens. Marc. xi. 13.
Ille jubet: procul ite mei, mea gloria, rami:
Nulla vocet nostras amplius aura comas.
Ite, nec ô pigeat; nam vos neque fulminis ira,
Nec trucis ala Noti verberat: ille jubet.
O vox, ô Zephyro vel sic quoque dulcior omni;
Non possum Autumno nobiliore frui.
The tree dried up by the word of Christ.
He speaks: hence, leaves; my glory hence, away;
Thou Zephyr 'mid my leaves no longer play;
Begone: nor grieve: 'tis not the lightning's wrath,
Nor wing of the storm-wind that smites: HE saith.
O voice, than Zephyr sweeter far to me;
More noble autumn-fruit could never be. G.
LXVII.
Zacharias minus credens. Luc. i. 12.
Infantis fore te patrem, res mira videtur;
Infans interea factus es ipse pater.
Et dum promissi signum, nimis anxie, quaeris,
Jam nisi per signum quaerere nulla potes.
Zacharias incredulous.
To have a child thou deem'st so strange a thing,
That thou art made a child for wondering.
Whilst for a sign too eagerly thou dost call,
Except by sign thou can'st not ask at all. Cl.
LXVIII.
In aquam baptismi Dominici. Matt. iii. 13-16.
Felix ô, sacros cui sic licet ire per artus;
Felix, dum lavat hunc, ipsa lavatur aqua.
Gutta quidem sacros quaecunque perambulat artus,
Dum manet hic, gemma est; dum cadit hinc, lacryma.
On the water of our Lord's baptisme.
Each blest drop on each blest limme
Is washt itselfe in washing Him:
'Tis a gemme while it stayes here;
While it falls hence 'tis a teare. Cr.
ANOTHER VERSION.
Happy the water washt His sacred side;
In washing Christ itself is purify'd.
Each drop that trickled down His body, there
Staying a gem, thence falling was a tear. B.
LXIX.
Mulieri incurvatae medetur Dominus, indignante Archisynagogo.
Luc. xiii. 11.
In proprios replicata sinus quae repserat, et jam
Daemonis, infelix, nil nisi nodus erat,
Solvitur ad digitum Domini: sed strictior illo
Unicus est nodus; cor, Pharisaee, tuum.
The bowed-down woman healed by the Lord, the Synagogue-ruler
is displeased.
Creeping and doubled erewhile in her woe,
Lo, now she stands erect: Christ willed it so.
Dæmonic knots are loos'd beneath His hands;
But thy heart, Pharisee, still rigid stands. G.
LXX.
Neque ausus fuit quisquam ex illo die eum amplius interrogare.
Matt. xxii. 46.
Christe, malas fraudes, Pharisaica retia, fallis:
Et miseros sacro discutis ore dolos.
Ergo tacent tandem, atque invita silentia servant:
Tam bene non aliter te potuere loqui.[56]
Neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more
questions.
Nets, frauds of Pharisees, the Lord beguiles;
His sacred lips disperse the wretched wiles.
So they were silent—enforc'd so to be:
Such silence, Lord, their best address to Thee. G.
LXXI.
S. Joannes matri suae. Matt. xx. 20.
O mihi cur dextram, mater, cur, oro, sinistram
Poscis, ab officio mater iniqua tuo?
Nolo manum Christi dextram mihi, nolo sinistram:
Tam procul a sacro non libet esse sinu.
St. John and his mother.
Mother, why ask you right or left for me?
The benefit would be an injury.
Nor right nor left for me convenient are:
From His sweet bosome either is too far. B.
LXXII.
Si filius Dei es, dejice te. Matt. iv. 6.
Ni se dejiciat Christus de vertice Templi,
Non credes quod sit Filius ille Dei?
At mox te humano de pectore dejicit: heus tu,
Non credes quod sit Filius ille Dei?
If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down.
Cast Thyself from the pinacle whereon
I set Thee, or I think Thee not God's Son.
No; but He'l cast thee from the hearts of men,
Satan. Wilt not believe He's God's Son then? B.
LXXIII.
Dominus flens ad Judaeos. Luc. xix. 41.
Discite, vos miseri, venientes discite flammas;
Nec facite ô lacrymas sic periisse meas.
Nec periisse tamen poterunt: mihi credite, vestras
Vel reprimet flammas haec aqua, vel faciet.
The Lord weeping over the Jews.
Think on the coming flames I would prevent;
Let not My tears for you in vain be spent.
And yet they can't be spent in vain; for sure
This water flames will quench, or else procure. B.
LXXIV.
Nec velut hic Publicanus. Luc. xviii. 11.
Istum? vile caput! quantum mihi gratulor, inquis,
Istum quod novi tam mihi dissimilem!
Vilis at iste abiit sacris acceptior aris:
I nunc, et jactes hunc tibi dissimilem.
Nor even as this publican.
Him, 'vile wretch!' Ah, myself how much I pride
That I am utterly unlike to him!
The 'vile wretch' leaves God's altar justified:
Now go and boast thou art unlike to him. G.
LXXV.
In Saulum fulgore nimio excaecatum. Act. ix. 3.
Quae lucis tenebrae? quae nox est ista dici?
Nox nova, quam nimii luminis umbra facit.
An Saulus fuerit caecus, vix dicere possum;
Hoc scio, quod captus lumine Saulus erat.[57]
On Saul blinded with too much light.
What darken'd noon is here? what mid-day night?
It is the shadow cast by too much light.
Saul may be blind or not; all I can say,
Ta'en within Heaven's light earth's light fades away. R. Wi.
LXXVI.
Beati oculi qui vident. Luc. x. 23.
Cum Christus nostris ibat mitissimus oris,
Atque novum caecos jussit habere diem,
Felices, oculos qui tunc habuere, vocantur?
Felices, et qui non habuere, voco.
Blessed are the eyes which see.
When Christ with us on Earth did sympathize,
And to the poor blind men restor'd their eyes,
Happy they who had eyes. Not they alone;
I call them also happy who had none. B.
ANOTHER VERSION.
When Christ on earth moved on His pitying way,
And bade the blind look up and find new day,
Was eyesight then such bliss to every one?
Yet I will deem them happy who had none. G.
LXXVII.
Filius e feretro matri redditur. Luc. vii. 15.
Ergone tam subita potuit vice flebilis horror
In natalitia candidus ire toga?
Quos vidi, matris gemitus hos esse dolentis
Credideram; gemitus parturientis erant.
Her son is delivered to his mother from the bier.
With such quick change could tear-bedew'd Dismay
Give birthday smiles, and walk in white array?
Heard I bereavèd mother's wailings wild?
No; the blest cries of one who bears a child! R. Wi.
LXXVIII.
In seculi sapientes. Matt. xi. 25.
Ergone delicias facit, et sibi plaudit ab alto
Stultitia, ut velit hac ambitione peti?
Difficilisne adeo facta est, et seria tandem?
Ergo et in hanc etiam quis sapuisse potest?
Tantum erat, ut possit tibi doctior esse ruina?
Tanti igitur cerebri res, periisse, fuit?
Nil opus ingenio; nihil hac opus arte furoris:
Simplicius poteris scilicet esse miser.
On the wise of this world.
With such complacent joys is Folly fraught,
That with this trouble she must needs be sought?
So difficult and grave is she turn'd now,
Can any one for her be wise enow?
Must Ruin to be deeper taught aspire?
To perish, does it so much brain require?
Genius and skill in madness who would see?
Forsooth, more simply you may wretched be! R. Wi.
LXXIX.
In Judaeos Christum praecipitare conantes. Luc. iv. 29.
Dicite, quae tanta est sceleris fiducia vestri,
Quod nequiit daemon, id voluisse scelus?
Quod nequiit daemon scelus, id voluisse patrare:
Hoc tentare ipsum daemona, credo, fuit.
The Jews seeking to cast Christ headlong from a precipice.
What daring leads you on, ungodly crew,
To that which ev'n the Devil durst not do?
Ye dare what he dares not? If truth be told,
Ye tempt the Devil's self to be more bold. G.
LXXX.
In draconem praecipitem. Rev. xii. 9.
I, frustra truculente; tuas procul aurea rident
Astra minas, coelo jam bene tuta suo.
Tune igitur coelum super ire atque astra parabas?
Ascensu tanto non opus ad barathrum.
The casting-down of the dragon.
Go, Dragon! the fair stars smile at thy threat,
Secure, serene, in native skies a-glow.
Thy throne o'er sky and stars thou fain would'st set;
Thou need'st not vault so high to plunge so low. G.
LXXXI.
Beatae Virgini credenti. Luc. ii. 19.
Miraris, quid enim faceres? sed et haec quoque credis:
Haec uteri credis dulcia monstra tui.
En fidei, Regina, tuae dignissima merces:
Fida Dei fueras filia; mater eris.
The blessed Virgin believing.
Thou wonderèd'st! how else could'st thou so guarded?
Yet thou believ'dst the mighty coming birth;
Queen! thy faith's working is full well rewarded;
God's daughter, thou God's mother art on earth. G.
LXXXII.
Licetne Caesari censum dare? Marc. xii. 14.
Post tot Scribarum, Christe, in te proelia, tandem
Ipse venit Caesar; Caesar in arma venit.
Pugnant terribiles non Caesaris ense, sed ense
Caesare: quin Caesar vinceris ipse tamen.
Hoc quoque tu conscribe tuis, Auguste, triumphis.
Sic vinci dignus quis nisi Caesar erat?
Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar?
After so many battles with the Scribes, O Lord,
Cæsar himself comes; Cæsar with his sword.
They fight not arm'd with Cæsar's sword indeed;
But Cæsar as their sword with craft they plead.
Conquer'd thyself, O Cæsar, make it known—
Who save thee, worthy so to be o'erthrown. G.
LXXXIII.
In tibicines et turbam tumultuantem circa defunctam.
Matt. ix. 23.
Vani, quid strepitis? nam quamvis dormiat illa,[58]
Non tamen e somno est sic revocanda suo.
Expectat solos Christi sopor iste susurros:
Dormit enim; sed non omnibus illa tamen.
The minstrels and crowd making a noise about the dead.
Vain mourning this; why make ye such loud noise?
She sleeps indeed, but so will not awake.
Her sleep waits for the whisper of His voice
Who a great promise to her father spake. G.
LXXXIV.
Piscatores vocati. Matt. iv. 19.
Ludite jam, pisces, secura per aequora: pisces
Nos quoque, sed varia sub ratione, sumus.
Non potuisse cápi, vobis spes una salutis:
Una salus nobis est, potuisse capi.
The fishermen called.
Play, fishes, in your waters, safely play:
We become fishes too, another way.
Not to be taken, to you safety brought:
But we are then most safe when we are caught. B.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
Careless, aneath the waves, ye fishes, play:
We too are fishes, in a different way;
Ye die, we live, being caught; and that for aye. G.
ANOTHER.
Sport, fishes, now, within the secure sea:
Lo, fishes too, in different kind, are we.
In shunning nets your hope of safety lay;
Our safety is to be the netter's prey. A.
LXXXV.
Date Caesari. Marc. xii. 17.
Cuncta Deo debentur: habet tamen et sua Caesar;
Nec minus inde Deo est, si sua Caesar habet.
Non minus inde Deo est, solio si caetera dantur
Caesareo, Caesar cum datur ipse Deo.
Give to Cæsar ... and to God....
All we have is God's, and yet
Cæsar challenges a debt;
Nor hath God a thinner share,
Whatever Cæsar's payments are.
All is God's; and yet 'tis true
All we have is Cæsar's too.
All is Cæsar's; and what ods,
So long as Cæsar's selfe is God's? Cr.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
All things belong to God, yet Cæsar has his all;
Not due the less to God that they to Cæsar fall.
Not less they're God's because they're giv'n to Cæsar's throne;
For Cæsar's throne itself belongs to God alone. G.
LXXXVI.
Dominus asino vehitur. Matt. xxi. 7.
Ille igitur vilem te, te dignatur asellum,
O non vectura non bene digne tua!
Heu, quibus haud pugnat Christi patientia monstris!
Hoc quod sic fertur, hoc quoque ferre fuit.
The Lord borne on the ass.
Does He, base ass, thus deign to honour thee,
Unworthy thus to bear th' incarnate God?
Alas, Thy patience strangely tried I see,
Thee carried thus who bear'st sin's awful load! B.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
A common ass does the Lord dignify?
O, how unworthy such a burden high!
With the Lord's patience, ah, what can compare?
So to be borne, this also was to bear. R. Wi.
LXXXVII.
Videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube. Luc. xxi. 27.
Immo, veni: aërios, ô Christe, accingere currus,
Inque triumphali nube coruscus ades.
Nubem quaeris? erunt nostra, ah! suspiria nubes:
Aut sol in nubem se dabit ipse tuam.
They shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud.
Come, yoke Thy chariots of the air, O Lord;
Triumphal honours let bright clouds afford.
Dost seek a cloud? Our sighs a cloud will be,
Or the sun melt into a cloud for Thee. G.
LXXXVIII.
Nisi digitum immisero, &c. Joan. xx. 25.
Impius ergo iterum clavos? iterum impius hastam?
Et totum digitus triste revolvet opus?
Tune igitur Christum, Thoma, quo vivere credas,
In Christum faceres, ah truculente! mori?
CHRIST TO THOMAS.
Except I shall put my finger, &c.
Thy impious finger, would it, then, re-borrow
The nails, the spear, each circumstance of sorrow?
That on a living Christ thou mayst rely,
Cruel, wouldst thou thy Christ re-crucify? G.
LXXXIX.
Ad Judaeos mactatores S. Stephani. Act. vi. 9-12.
Quid datis, ah miseri! saxis nolentibus iras?
Quid nimis in tragicum praecipitatis opus?
In mortem Stephani se dant invita: sed illi
Occiso faciunt sponte sua tumulum.
To the Jews stoning St. Stephen.
Wretches, do ye put rage into cold stones?
Why rush so eagerly to work so vile?
Your stones unwilling add to Stephen's moans,
But gladly heap a tomb for him the while. G.
XC.
Sancto Joanni dilecto discipulo.
Tu fruere, augustoque sinu caput abde, quod ô tum
Nollet in aeterna se posuisse rosa.
Tu fruere; et sacro dum te sic pectore portat,
O sat erit tergo me potuisse vehi.
To St. John the beloved disciple.
Upon His breast thy happy head reposes,
Nor would that pillow change for Heaven's own roses:
While thus His bosom bears up happy thee,
To press His shoulders were enough for me. G.
XCI.
In lactentes martyres. Matt. ii. 16, 17.
Vulnera natorum qui vidit et ubera matrum,
Per pueros fluviis, ah! simul ire suis:
Sic pueros quisquis vidit, dubitavit an illos
Lilia coelorum diceret, anne rosas.
Upon the infant martyrs.
To see both blended in one flood,
The mothers' milk, the childrens' blood,
Makes me doubt if Heaven will gather
Roses hence, or lillies rather. Cr.
ANOTHER RENDERING.
Who saw the infants' blood and milk of mother
Flowing, alas, in a commingl'd tide,
Doubtingly ask'd, and gaz'd from one to other,
Whether Heav'n's rose or lily they espy'd. G.
XCII.
Deus nobiscum. Matt. i. 23.
Nobiscum Deus est? vestrum hoc est, hei mihi! vestrum:
Vobiscum Deus est, ô asini atque boves.
Nobiscum non est; nam nos domus aurea sumit:
Nobiscum Deus est, et jacet in stabulo?
Hoc igitur nostrum ut fiat, dulcissime Jesu,
Nos dandi stabulis, vel tibi danda domus.
God with us.
Is God with us? Woe's me,
God is with you, ye beasts, I see.
God is with you, ye beasts;
God comes not to our golden feasts.
That God may be with us,
We must provide a lowly house.
God comes to the humble manger,
While to the great house a stranger. G.
XCIII.
Christus circumcisus ad Patrem.
Has en primitias nostrae, Pater, accipe mortis;
Vitam ex quo sumpsi, vivere dedidici.
Ira, Pater, tua de pluvia gustaverit ista:
Olim ibit fluviis hoc latus omne suis.
Tunc sitiat licet et sitiat, bibet et bibet usque:
Tunc poterit toto fonte superba frui.
Nunc hastae interea possit praeludere culter:
Indolis in poenas spes erit ista meae.[59]
XCIV.
In Epiphaniam Domini. Matt. ii. 2.
Non solita contenta dies face lucis Eoae,
Ecce micat radiis caesariata novis.
Persa sagax, propera: discurre per ardua regum
Tecta, per auratas marmoreasque domus:
Quaere ô, quae intepuit Reginae purpura partu;
Principe vagitu quae domus insonuit.
Audin' Persa sagax? Qui tanta negotia coelo
Fecit, Bethlemiis vagiit in stabulis.
The Epiphany of our Lord.
Scorning her wonted herald, lo, the Day
Now decks her forehead with a brighter ray.
Sage Persian, haste; ask where high roofs unfold
Their royal wealth of marble and of gold;
In what rich couch an Empress-mother lies;
What halls have heard a new-born Prince's cries.
Wouldst know, sage Persian? He for whom Heaven keeps
Such festival, in Bethlehem's manger weeps. Cl.
XCV.
Ecce quaerebamus te, &c. Luc. ii. 49.
Te quaero misera, et quaero: tu nunc quoque tractas
Res Patris; Pater est unica cura tibi.
Quippe quod ad poenas tantum et tot nomina mortis,
Ad luctum et lacrymas, hei mihi! mater ego.
Lo, we have sought Thee, &c.
I seek Thee mourning, and I seek again:
Thou still Thy Father's business dost attend;
And me, alas, sad mother of all pain,
Of grief and tears, Thou surely wilt befriend. G.
XCVI.
Aquae in vinum versae. Joan. ii. 1-11.
Unde rubor vestris, et non sua purpura lymphis?
Quae rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas?
Numen, convivae, praesens agnoscite Numen:
Nympha pudica Deum vidit, et erubuit.[60]
Water turned into wine.
Whence that blush upon thy brow,
Fair Nymph of the waters, now?
Mark the glow all rosy-red
Of the stream astonièd.
All the guests in tumult rush'd:
The shy Nymph saw her God, and blush'd. G.
ANOTHER VERSION.
Whence to your waters comes the glow of wine?
What strange new rose their mazèd streams hath flush'd?
Haste, guests, and own your Visitant divine;
For the chaste Nymph hath seen her God, and blush'd. Cl.
ANOTHER.
Whence comes this rose, this ruddy colour strange?
What blushes new the wondering water change?
Mark, mark, gay guests, a present Deity!
The conscious water blush'd its God to see. A.
XCVII.
Absenti Centurionis filio Dominus absens medetur.
Matt. viii. 13.
Quam tacitis inopina salus illabitur alis!
Alis quas illi vox tua, Christe, dedit.
Quam longas vox ista manus habet! haec medicina
Absens et praesens haec medicina fuit.
The Lord at a distance heals the absent servant of the
Centurion.
Safety unlook'd-for! silent 'light the wings
Wherewith Thy voice, O Christ, swift-healing brings:
Far-reaching hand Thy word has, and Thou healest
Absent and present, even as Thou willest. G.
XCVIII.
Quid timidi estis? Marc. iv. 40.
Tanquam illi insanus faceret sua fulmina ventus;
Tanquam illi scopulos norit habere fretum.
Vos vestri scopuli, vos estis ventus et unda:
Naufragium cum illo qui metuit, meruit.
Why are ye so fearful?
As if to Him the winds their thunder threw;
As if to Him hard rocks the water knew.
Ye are your rocks, ye are your wind and wave:
Shiprack with Him who fear, deserve to have. B.
XCIX.
Nunc dimittis. Luc. ii. 29.
Ite mei, quid enim ulterius, quid vultis, ocelli?
Leniter obductis ite superciliis.
Immo et adhuc et adhuc, iterumque iterumque videte;
Accipite haec totis lumina luminibus.
Jamque ite; et tutis ô vos bene claudite vallis:
Servate haec totis lumina luminibus.
Primum est, quod potui te, Christe, videre: secundum,
Te viso, recta jam potuisse mori.[61]
Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace.