And 'neath the hills the vibrant
West fold in purple shroud,
Unto the patient labourer
Foretelling a brighter day.

fmai

So do

hine th

T

HE rock, which from a steep

And soaring mountain's crown
With the loud avalanche
Impetuously hurls down,
Along stone-shattered trails
Plungeth unto the vale's
Hollow, and there doth lie;
Immobile where it fell
Resteth its cumb❜rous mole,
Nor will behold the sun,
Though centuries onward roll,
Upon its ancient height,
Unless some friendly might
Draw it toward the sky.

So lay the hapless son
Of the primeval fall,
Since wrath ineffable
His spirit did appal,
Bowing him 'neath a dread
Burden whence his proud head
He could not raise again.

Who is it among those,
Born unto sin, doth live,
And to the Highest hath
Puissance to say: "Forgive"?
Who dareth with the Eternal

al vincitore inferno
la preda sua strappar?
Ecco ci è nato un Pargolo,
ci fu largito un Figlio :
le avverse forze tremano,
al mover del suo ciglio :
all' uom la mano Ei porge,
che si ravviva, e sorge
oltre l'antico onor.

Dalle magioni eteree sgorga una fonte, e scende e nel borron de' triboli vivida si distende:

stillano mèle i tronchi ; dove copriano i bronchi ivi germoglia il fior.

O Figlio, o Tu cui genera l' Eterno, eterno seco, qual ti può dir de' secoli: Tu cominciasti meco ? Tu sei del vasto empiro non ti comprende il giro : la tua parola il fe'.

E Tu degnasti assumere questa creata argilla ? qual merto suo, qual grazia a tanto onor sortilla? Se in suo consiglio ascoso vince il perdon, pietoso immensamente Egli è.

Oggi Egli è nato; ad Efrata, vaticinato ostello,

ascese un' alma Vergine, la gloria d' Israello,

To treat, from the infernal
Victor to snatch his gain?
Lo, unto us is given
A Son, is born a Child :

The powers of darkness tremble
Before His glances mild;

All men He doth sustain,
Whence they refreshed attain
To a far richer dower.

From mansions in the sky
Floweth a fountain bright,
And in the vale of tears
Spreadeth in pools of light;
Honey the branches shed,

And, where the fronds lay dead, Blossometh now the flower.

Of the Eternal, seed, And one with him, O Son, Which of the centuries

Can say: "With me begun "? Thou art, nor could be bound Within the wide sky's round, Fashioned by word of Thine!

And Thou didst deign to take Upon Thee this frail clay ? To be so blest what good, What beauty in it lay? If in the inscrutable mind Pardon we victor find, Such pity is divine.

Lo, He is born to-day; To the predestined place, To Bethlehem of old, The pride of Israel's race

grave di tal portato : da cui promise è nato, donde era atteso uscì.

La mira Madre in poveri panni il Figliol compose, e nell' umil presepio soavemente il pose; e l'adorò, beata!

innanzi al Dio prostrata, che il puro sen le aprì.

L'angel del cielo, agli uomini nunzio di tanta sorte, non de' potenti volgesi, alle vegliate porte; ma tra i pastor devoti, al duro mondo ignoti, subito in luce appar.

E intorno a Lui, per l'ampia notte calati a stuolo,

mille celesti strinsero
il fiammeggiante volo ;
e accessi in dolce zelo,
come si canta in cielo,
a Dio gloria cantâr.

L'allegro inno seguirono,
tornando al firmamento;
tra le varcate nuvole
allontanossi, e lento

il suon sacrato ascese, fin che più nulla intese la compagnia fedel.

Senza indugiar, cercarono

l'albergo poveretto

que' fortunati, e videro,

A virgin pure did bear;
Whence promised, born, and where
Expected, there revealed.

The Holy Mother in

Poor robes her Son hath dressed,

In humble manger then

Softly laid Him to rest;

Adoring, fortunate,

Before her God prostrate,

Who her chaste womb unsealed.

Heaven's angel sent to men

The wonder to relate,

Flew not to the barred doors
Of mighty potentate,

But faithful shepherds he
Sought, wrapped in radiancy,
Whom the false world went by ;
And, gathered round about
Him in the vast of night,
A thousand angels spread
Their wings in dazzling flight,
And sang with ardour sweet,
As when they sing to greet
God's glory in the sky.

Still echoed their glad song
As back to Heaven they flew,
Scaling the clouds afar,

Then passed from sight anew;
The sacred sound did soar
Slowly until no more

It thrilled the chosen few.

Then speedily these went

To seek the modest shed

Where they, thrice happy souls,