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Hymn For The Lighting Of The Lamps (Hymnus Ad Incensum Lucernae)

by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

Newly Translated Into English Verse By R. Martin Pope is below this original.

Hymnus Ad Incensum Lucernae

Inventor rutili, dux bone, luminis,

qui certis vicibus tempora dividis,

merso sole chaos ingruit horridum,

lucem redde tuis Christe fidelibus.

Quamvis innumero sidere regiam

lunarique polum lampade pinxeris,

incussu silicis lumina nos tamen

monstras saxigeno semine quaerere:

Ne nesciret homo spem sibi luminis

in Christi solido corpore conditam,

qui dici stabilem se voluit petram,

nostris igniculis unde genus venit.

Pinguis quos olei rore madentibus

lychnis aut facibus pascimus aridis:

quin et fila favis scirpea floreis

presso melle prius conlita fingimus.

Vivax flamma viget, seu cava testula

sucum linteolo suggerit ebrio,

seu pinus piceam fert alimoniam,

seu ceram teretem stuppa calens bibit.

Nectar de liquido vertice fervidum

guttatim lacrimis stillat olentibus,

ambustum quoniam vis facit ignea

imbrem de madido flere cacumine.

Splendent ergo tuis muneribus, Pater,

flammis mobilibus scilicet atria,

absentemque diem lux agit aemula,

quam nox cum lacero victa fugit peplo.

Sed quis non rapidi luminis arduam

manantemque Deo cernat originem?

Moyses nempe Deum spinifera in rubo

vidit conspicuo lumine flammeum.

Felix, qui meruit sentibus in sacris

caelestis solii visere principem,

iussus nexa pedum vincula solvere,

ne sanctum involucris pollueret locum.

Hunc ignem populus sanguinis incliti

maiorum meritis tutus et inpotens,

suetus sub dominis vivere barbaris,

iam liber sequitur longa per avia:

qua gressum tulerant castraque caerulae

noctis per medium concita moverant,

plebem pervigilem fulgure praevio

ducebat radius sole micantior.

Sed rex Niliaci littoris invido

fervens felle iubet praevalidam manum

in bellum rapidis ire cohortibus

ferratasque acies clangere classicum.

Sumunt arma viri seque minacibus

accingunt gladiis, triste canit tuba:

hic fidit iaculis, ille volantia

praefigit calamis spicula Gnosiis.

Densetur cuneis turba pedestribus,

currus pars et equos et volucres rotas

conscendunt celeres signaque bellica

praetendunt tumidis clara draconibus.

Hic iam servitii nescia pristini

gens Pelusiacis usta vaporibus

tandem purpurei gurgitis hospita

rubris littoribus fessa resederat.

Hostis dirus adest cum duce perfido,

infert et validis praelia viribus:

Moyses porro suos in mare praecipit

constans intrepidis tendere gressibus:

praebent rupta locum stagna viantibus

riparum in faciem pervia, sistitur

circumstans vitreis unda liquoribus,

dum plebs sub bifido permeat aequore.

Pubes quin etiam decolor asperis

inritata odiis rege sub inpio

Hebraeum sitiens fundere sanguinem

audet se pelago credere concavo:

ibant praecipiti turbine percita

fluctus per medios agmina regia,

sed confusa dehinc unda revolvitur

in semet revolans gurgite confluo.

Currus tunc et equos telaque naufraga

ipsos et proceres et vaga corpora

nigrorum videas nare satellitum,

arcis iustitium triste tyrannicae.

Quae tandem poterit lingua retexere

laudes Christe tuas? qui domitam Pharon

plagis multimodis cedere praesuli

cogis iustitiae vindice dextera.

Qui pontum rapidis aestibus invium

persultare vetas, ut refluo in salo

securus pateat te duce transitus,

et mox unda rapax devoret inpios.

Cui ieiuna eremi saxa loquacibus

exundant scatebris, et latices novos

fundit scissa silex, quae sitientibus

dat potum populis axe sub igneo.

Instar fellis aqua tristifico in lacu

fit ligni venia mel velut Atticum:

lignum est, quo sapiunt aspera dulcius;

uam praefixa cruci spes hominum viget.

Inplet castra cibus tunc quoque ninguidus,

inlabens gelida grandine densius:

his mensas epulis, hac dape construunt,

quam dat sidereo Christus ab aethere.

Nec non imbrifero ventus anhelitu

crassa nube leves invehit alites,

quae conflata in humum, cum semel agmina

fluxerunt, reduci non revolant fuga.

Haec olim patribus praemia contulit

insignis pietas numinis unici,

cuius subsidio nos quoque vescimur

pascentes dapibus pectora mysticis.

Fessos ille vocat per freta seculi

discissis populum turbinibus regens

iactatasque animas mille laboribus

iustorum in patriam scandere praecipit.

Illic purpureis tecta rosariis

omnis fragrat humus calthaque pinguia

et molles violas et tenues crocos

fundit fonticulis uda fugacibus.

Illic et gracili balsama surculo

desudata fluunt, raraque cinnama

spirant et folium, fonte quod abdito

praelambens fluvius portat in exitum.

Felices animae prata per herbida

concentu parili suave sonantibus

hymnorum modulis dulce canunt melos,

calcant et pedibus lilia candidis.

Sunt et spiritibus saepe nocentibus

paenarum celebres sub Styge feriae

illa nocte, sacer qua rediit Deus

stagnis ad superos ex Acheronticis.

Non sicut tenebras de face fulgida

surgens oceano Lucifer inbuit,

sed terris Domini de cruce tristibus

maior sole novum restituens diem.

Marcent suppliciis tartara mitibus,

exultatque sui carceris otio

functorum populus liber ab ignibus,

nec fervent solito flumina sulphure.

Nos festis trahimus per pia gaudia

noctem conciliis votaque prospera

certatim vigili congerimus prece

extructoque agimus liba sacrario.

Pendent mobilibus lumina funibus,

quae suffixa micant per laquearia,

et de languidulis fota natatibus

lucem perspicuo flamma iacit vitro.

Credas stelligeram desuper aream

ornatam geminis stare trionibus,

et qua bosporeum temo regit iugum,

passim purpureos spargier hesperos.

O res digna, Pater, quam tibi roscidae

noctis principio grex tuus offerat,

lucem, qua tribuis nil pretiosius,

lucem, qua reliqua praemia cernimus.

Tu lux vera oculis, lux quoque sensibus,

intus tu speculum, tu speculum foris,

lumen, quod famulans offero, suscipe,

tinctum pacifici chrismatis unguine.

Per Christum genitum, summe Pater, tuum,

in quo visibilis stat tibi gloria,

qui noster Dominus, qui tuus unicus

spirat de patrio corde paraclitum.

Per quem splendor, honos, laus, sapientia,

maiestas, bonitas, et pietas tua

regnum continuat numine triplici

texens perpetuis secula seculis.

Hymn For The Lighting Of The Lamps

Blest Lord, Creator of the glowing light,

At Whose behest the hours successive move,

The sun has set: black darkness broods above:

Christ! light Thy faithful through the coming night.

Thy courts are lit with stars unnumber'd,

And in the cloudless vault the pale moon rides;

Yet Thou dost bid us seek the fire that hides

Till swift we strike it from its flinty bed.

So man may learn that in Christ's body came

The hidden hope of light to mortals given:

He is the Rock--'tis His own word--that riven

Sends forth to all our race the eternal flame.

From lamps that brim with rich and fragrant oil,

Or torches dry this heaven-sent fire we feed;

Or make us rushlights from the flowering reed

And wax, whereon the bees have spent their toil.

Bright glows the light, whether the resin thick

Of pine-brand flares, or waxen tapers burn

With melting radiance, or the hollow urn

Yields its stored sweetness to the thirsty wick.

Beneath the might of fire, in slow decay

The scented tears of glowing nectar fall;

Lower and lower droops the candle tall

And ever dwindling weeps itself away.

So by Thy gifts, great Father, hearth and hall

Are all ablaze with points of twinkling light

That vie with daylight spent; and vanquished Night

Rends, as she flies away, her sable pall.

Who knoweth not that from high Heaven first came

Our light, from God Himself the rushing fire?

For Moses erst, amid the prickly brier,

Saw God made manifest in lambent flame.

Ah, happy he! deemed worthy face to face

To see heaven's Lord within that sacred brake;

Bidden the sandals from his feet to take,

Nor with his shoon defile that holy place.

The mighty children of the chosen name,

Saved by the merits of their sires, and free

After long years of savage tyranny,

Through the drear desert followed still that flame.

Striking their camp beneath the silent night

Where'er they went, to lead their darkling way,

The cloud of glory lent its guiding ray

And shone more splendid than the noonday light.

But, mad with jealous fury, Egypt's king

Calls his great host to battle for their lord:

Swiftly the cohorts gather at his word,

And down the mail-clad lines the clarions ring.

Girding their trusty swords the warriors go

To fill the ranks; hoarse bugles rend the air;

These seize their massy javelins, these prepare

The death-winged arrow and the Cretan bow.

The footmen throng in close battalions pressed;

The chariots thunder; to the saddle spring

The riders of the Nile, as forth they fling

Egypt's proud banner with the serpent crest.

And now, forgetful of the bondage past,

Thy children, tortured by the desert heat,

Drag to the Red Sea's brink their weary feet,

And on its sandy margin rest at last.

See! with their forsworn king the savage foe

Draws nigh: the threatening squadrons nearer ride;

But ever onward urged the intrepid guide

And through the waves bade Israel fearless go.

Before that steadfast march the billows fall,

Then raise on either hand their crystal mass,

While through the sundered deep Thy people pass

And ocean guards them with a liquid wall.

But, mad with baffled rage, the dusky horde

Of Egypt, by their impious despot led,

Athirst the hated Hebrews' blood to shed

Pursued, all reckless of the o'er-arching flood.

Swift as the wind the royal squadrons ride,

But swifter yet the crystal barriers break,

The waves exultantly their bounds forsake

And roll together in a roaring tide.

'Mid steeds and chariots and drifting mail

The drown'd lords of Egypt found a grave

With all their swart retainers 'neath the wave;

And in their haughty courts the mourners wail.

What tongue, O Christ, Thy glories can unfold?

Thine was the arm, outstretched in wrath, that made

The stricken land of Pharaoh, sore afraid,

Bow down before Thy minister of old.

Thy pathless deep did at the voice restrain

Its surging billows, till with Thee for guide

Thy host passed scathless, and the refluent tide

Swept down the wicked to the engulfing main.

At Thy command the desert, parched and dry,

Breaks into laughing rills, and water clear

Wells from the smitten rock Thy flock to cheer

And quench their thirst beneath that brazen sky.

Then Marah's bitterness grew passing sweet,

Touched by the mystic tree; so by the grace

Of Thine own Tree, O Christ, our sinful race

Regains its lost hopes at Thy pierc'd feet.

Faster than icy hail the manna falls,

Like snow down drifting from a wintry sky;

The feast is set: they heap the tables high

With that rich food from Thy celestial halls.

Fresh blow the breezes from the distant shore

And bear a fluttering cloud that hides the light,

Till the frail pinions, faltering in their flight,

Sink in the wilderness to rise no more.

How great the love of God's own Son, that shed

Such wondrous bounty on His chosen race!

And still to us He proffers in His grace

The mystic Feast, wherewith our souls are fed.

Through the world's raging sea He bids us come,

And 'twixt the sundered billows guides our path,

Till, spent and wearied with the ocean's wrath,

He calls His storm-tossed saints to Heaven and home.

There in His paradise red roses blow,

With golden daffodils and lilies pale

And gentle violets, and down the vale

The murmuring rivulets for ever flow.

Sweet balsams, welling from the slender tree,

And precious spices fill the fragrant air,

And, hiding by the stream, that blossom rare

Whose leaves the river hurries to the sea.

There the blest souls with one accord unite

To hymn in dulcet song their Saviour's praise,

And as the chanting quire their voices raise

They tread with shining feet the lilies bright.

Yea, e'en the spirits of the lost, that dwell

Where the black stream of sullen Acheron flows,

Rest on that holy night when Christ arose,

And for a while 'tis holiday in Hell.

No sun from ocean rising drives away

Their darkness, with his flaming shafts far-hurled,

But from the cross of Christ o'er that wan world

There streams the radiance of a new-born day.

The sulphurous floods with lessened fury glow,

The aching limbs find respite from their pain,

While, in glad freedom from the galling chain,

The tortured ghosts a short-lived solace know.

In holy gladness let this night be sped,

As here we gather, Lord, to watch and pray;

To Thee with one consent our vows we pay

And on Thy altar set the sacred Bread.

From pendent chains the lamps of crystal blaze;

By fragrant oil sustained the clear flame glows

With strength undimmed, and through the darkness throws

High o'er the fretted roof a golden haze,

As 'twere Heaven's starry floor our wondering eye

Beheld, wherein the Bears their light display,

Where Phosphor heralds the approach of day

And Hesper's radiance floods the evening sky.

Meet is the gift we offer here to Thee,

Father of all, as falls the dewy night;

Thine own most precious gift we bring--the light

Whereby mankind Thy other bounties see.

Thou art the Light indeed; on our dull eyes

And on our inmost souls Thy rays are poured;

To Thee we light our lamps: receive them, Lord,

Filled with the oil of peace and sacrifice.

O hear us, Father, through Thine only Son,

Our Lord and Saviour, by Whose love bequeathed

The Paraclete upon our hearts has breathed,

With Him and Thee through endless ages one.

Through Christ Thy Kingdom shall for ever be,

Thy grace, might, wisdom, glory ever shine,

As in the Triune majesty benign

He reigns for all eternity with Thee.