Hymns from the Greek Office Books / Together with Centos and Suggestions

by John Brownlie

Centos And Suggestions

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ἁι μυροφόροι γυναῖκες, ὄρθρου βαθεός

I

At early dawn, with pious thought,

The holy women spices brought—

For Christ, their Lord, was dead;—

But lo! the stone was rolled away:

“Where are the seals?” they wondering say,

“The guard, where He was laid?”

II

“Why with your ointments mix your tears?

Why all this sighing, and those fears?”

An angel near declares:

“There lies the stone that barred the tomb,

No longer now its solemn gloom

Your Lord and Master shares.”

III

“Haste, haste with joy the tidings tell,

The Lord hath vanquished death and hell,

For He, the Death of death,

Hath burst asunder hades prison,

And, first-born from the dead hath risen,

Even as afore He saith.”

IV

Honour to Thee, O Christ, we bring,

Thy glorious rising now we sing,

Victorious is Thy strife;

Our Hope, our Trust, on Thee we call,

Our Joy, our Strength, our God, our All,

And our Immortal Life.

καὶ στραφεὶς ὁ κύριος ἐνέβλεψε τῷ Πετρῷ

I

I brought my darkest sin to mind,

And called it by the vilest name,

And thought to fill my soul with grief,

When I had charged it with the blame;—

I said, “Before my God I’ll fall,”

But sorrow came not at my call.

II

I said, “Ah, soul! the wrath of God

Shall smite the sinner with dismay,

The record of thy sin is kept,

And swiftly nears the reckoning day;”—

Methought I heard God’s thunders roll,

But sorrow came not to my soul.

III

“Ah, stony heart! can thought of sin

In all its vileness bring no tears?

And canst thou hear God’s thunders speak,

And weep not though the reckoning nears?”

I had no weeping to control,

For sorrow came not to my soul.

IV

I looked, my Saviour looked at me,

O look of love no heart can bear!

Like raging torrents came my tears,

And plunged my spirit in despair;

Vain, vain my weeping to control,

For sorrow now hath found my soul.

καὶ ἀνέῳξας ἡμῖν παραδείσου τὰς πύλας

I

O God of light and glory,

Thy servants look to see

The light that shines effulgent

Upon their souls from Thee.

II

And lo! the heavens are open,

And from the throne of God,

The Christ, the Light eternal,

That glory sheds abroad.

III

And eyes reflect the beauty,

And hearts responding glow;

For only they who see Thee

Can in Thy likeness grow.

καὶ κλαύσωμεν, καὶ πράξωμεν

I

I have no tears to shed,

For grief my soul hath none;

My heart hath never bled,

For ought that I have done;

I weep not when I hear Thee say

That sin hath carried me away.

II

I have no tears to shed;

Wilt Thou not touch my heart,

And bid sin’s wounds run red,

And throb with bitter smart?—

Then shall I lift my prayer and say,

“Lord, take my many sins away.”

III

For Thou, O Lord, dost will

That all should seek Thy face,

That Thou mayest well fulfil

The promise of Thy grace.

Who ever sought Thy love in vain,

Or failed Thy pardon to obtain?

πυρίπνοον δέξασθε πνεύματος δρόσον

I

Thy love hath sweetened me,—

Thy love, O Christ, divine,

And by Thy favour Thou hast changed

This wilful heart of mine.

II

Now by Thy Spirit’s fire,

Consume my sins, I pray,

And in my heart a love instil,

That shall abide for aye.

III

Then shall my heart rejoice,

Because Thou dost abide,

For ever, O Thou Blessed One,

Close to Thy servant’s side.

IV

And love and joy shall be

My strength while here I stay;

And love, the spring of all my joy,

Shall live and love alway.

σαρκὶ ὑπνώσας ὡς θνητός

I

Lo! He gave Himself to die,

Christ, our God, Who came to save us;

In the mortal grave to lie,

That death might no more enslave us.

II

On the day appointed, lo!

From the grave the Saviour rises,

Blessings endless to bestow,—

Life and all its great surprises.

III

Hail the manger where He lay

While the angel hosts adore Him;

Hail the Cross, for man that day

Raised, that Jesu might restore him.

IV

Hail the Resurrection morn;

Hail the Christ from death restoréd,

Be our praises heavenward borne,

To our God by all adoréd.

πατὴρ οἰκτιρμῶν

I

Have pity, Lord, for Thou are great,

And greatness pity knows;

I mourn my poor and worthless state,

And all its wants and woes.

II

Have pity, Lord, for Thou art great;—

I would from sin be free,

And seek Thy face, ’though coming late,

For Thou wilt welcome me.

III

Have pity, Lord, for Thou art great,

And give me strength to win;

That I may gain the heavenly gate

And freely enter in.

IV

Have pity, Lord, for Thou art love,

And by Thy grace alone,

I hope in Thy pure house above

To serve before Thy throne.

ὀ πλάστης μου κὺριος

I

Formed in Thine image bright,

With glory on my head,

I lived within Thy light,

And on Thy bounty fed.

II

But ah! that evil day!

The tempter’s silvery tone

Lured me from God away,

To seek for bliss alone.

III

Dark came the night of sin,

I mourned my woeful plight,

For all was dark within,

And all around was night.

IV

Shorn of Thy beauty fair,

Gift at my wondrous birth,

Hope fled before despair,

Gone was the joy of earth.

V

Yea, though the prayer be vain,

Now will I lift mine eyes,

Call me, God, back again,

Back to Thy paradise.

VI

Came there a voice to me,

Yea, ’twas Thy voice, my God,

Bidding me come to Thee,

Up to Thy pure abode.

VII

Trusting Thy mercy great,

Up from my woes I’ll rise,

Seeking the golden gate

Opening to paradise.

ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, ἀνατολὴ ἀνατολῶν

I

Come, with the load of sorrow thou art bearing,

Lay it on Him who every burden bears;

Let not thy soul in trouble sink despairing,

He who hath sorrowed, every sorrow shares.

II

Look for the morn when night is dark and weary,

Morning shall come when hours of night are spent;

Clouds hide the sun, and make the noontide dreary,

Gladness shall cheer you when the clouds are rent.

III

Look for His smile who gilds the hills at morning,

Surely it comes as comes the morning sun;

Beauty shall grace thy life with bright adorning,

Even as the sunlight, till thy day is done.

IV

Then, when the morn that makes the hilltops golden

Round the Jerusalem thy spirit gains

Breaks on thy view, shall come the gladness olden

Shared by the dwellers in those blest domains.

ὑμνοῦμεν σου Χριστέ, τὸ σωτήριον παθος

I

We hymn Thy triumph on the Cross,

Thy victory o’er the grave,

O Christ, immortal Son of God,

Who cam’st Thy folk to save.

II

For, dying on the Cross, the sting

Of death was torn away,—

O, by Thy victory over death

Give life to us, we pray.

III

The gates of hades tottering fell,

The prisoners saw the light,

And forth emerging, left behind

A hideous, starless night.

IV

O make us worthy, Christ, to sing

The wonders of Thy power;

And give us purity of heart

To serve Thee every hour.

V

All praise and glory, Christ our God,

To Thee be ever given;

One with the Father, One with us

On earth, and now in heaven.

φῶς ἐκ φωτὸς

I

O Light of light! when other lights are fading,

Then in my soul with heavenly brightness shine;

“Let there be light!” the night and fear upbraiding,

Speak Thou the word and send the Light Divine.

II

O Joy of joy! when other joys are sighing,

Sing to my soul and bid its sadness flee;

And when the songs my bitter tears are drying,

Come with Thy gladness, and rejoice with me.

III

O Love of love! when other loves are dying,

And hearts grow cold, and eyes that lured me frown;

Come to my heart, Thou Love, all hate defying,

Full of all pity to our world come down.

IV

O Bliss of bliss! when earth and all its treasures

Shrink from my grasp, and leave me poor and sad;

May I with Christ fill up my empty measures,

And in His presence reap the hopes I had.

ψυχή μου! ἀνάστα

I

Hence, slumber, from mine eyes,

See, from the eastern skies

The light is shed;

The night has passed away,

Now ’tis the morn of day,

Darkness has fled.

II

My soul from slumber free,

Let me Thy brightness see,

O Light of light!

May darkness from my heart,

And every cloud depart,

And fears of night.

III

Now let my hands employ

The passing hours, and joy

Shall find my soul;

Thy will, O God, be done,

Thy path of duty run,

My heart control.

IV

And when the sunlight dies,

And in the western skies

The day is spent;

Then on Thy loving breast,

O Jesu, let me rest

In calm content.

κλίνας οὐρανοὺς, κατέβη

I

The Lord came down from heaven,

And dwelt with us below;

And in His life was given

To taste our bitterest woe;

Our flesh He wore,

Its ills He bore,

Who came to us from heaven.

II

He climbed the rugged steep

To where the Cross was raised;

And while His followers weep,

And angels are amazed,

He groaned and sighed,

And, wounded, died—

Who climbed the rugged steep.

III

He gave His life for me—

’Twas for my sin He died,—

O, that all eyes might see

The Saviour crucified;

And give Him love

Who dwells above,

And gave His life for me.

Δεῦτε ἀγαλλιασωμέθα τῷ κυρίῳ, τὸ παρὸν μυστήριον ἐκδιηγούμενοι

I

Come, let us sing with joyful mirth

The mystery of Immanuel’s birth,

Who, Virgin born, is here;

The middle wall no longer stands,

No flaming sword in Cherub’s hands

Inspires the soul with fear.

II

See, clear the pathway open lies

That upward leads to Paradise,

Where stands the Tree of Life;

And freely may I enter in,

Whence I was driven by mortal sin,

And worsted in the strife.

III

For He, the Father’s only Son,

A glorious work hath now begun,

Descending from above

In servant’s form, though yet the Son,

Unchanging while the ages run,

To win us by His love.

IV

Come, now, let hearts united be

To laud His praises joyfully,

The God-Man born to-day.

And let Thy mercy reach us now

For pitiful and kind art Thou,

O Virgin born, we pray.

τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας

I

O Christ, to Thy disciples then,

When eyes were sad, and hearts were sore,

Thy lips the cheering promise made,

To comfort them for evermore.

II

And now what law and prophets spake

To waiting hearts in days of old,

Has been fulfilled: the Spirit seeks

The human heart, as long foretold.

III

O Christ, to us the promise speak,

And send Thy Spirit in our need,

That He may bless our longing hearts,

And ever in Thy precepts lead.

IV

And light the darkness of our night,

Till clear the path before us lies;

And comfort us in sore distress,

And wipe the sorrow from our eyes.

V

And songs of praise to Thee we’ll give,

O God the Father, Christ the Son,

And Holy Spirit, while we live,

And in the ages yet to run.

οὐκ ἀφήσω ὑμᾶς ὀρφανόυς

I

May Thy bright Spirit, as of old,

The love of Christ the Son unfold,

And as He hangs upon the Cross,

Reveal to men their sin and loss.

II

O Holy Spirit, one with God,

From God sent down to our abode

With us abide in joy and woe,

And share our sojourn here below.

III

And give us comfort in our pain,

Be in our loss our surest gain;

The Christ reveal in all His love,

And fit us for our home above.

IV

That we may serve the Christ our Lord,

Teach us to know His blessed Word;

Our wills renew; our hearts allure,

In love and service to endure.

V

Thine be the glory, God the Lord;

Glory to Thee, Incarnate Word;

To Thee, blest Spirit, praises be,

From age to age eternally.

ὅ πλοῦτος και βάθος, σοφίας Θεοῦ!

I

Now Christ the God to earth hath come,

And made our dwelling place His home;

And in our flesh the God-Man gives

The life by which His people lives.

II

Bound to the Cross He bleeding dies,

That man from sin forgiven may rise;

And by the grace of God set free,

Live in His service endlessly.

III

They who in Adam sinning fell,

With Christ ascend with God to dwell;

And through the pain the Saviour bore,

Are freed from pain for evermore.

IV

And where the Christ ’mong myriads bright

Sits on His throne of peerless light,

There dwell the saints who by His grace

Share on the throne the victor’s place.

V

Glory to Thee, our Father, God,

Who dwell’st in heaven, Thy high abode;

Glory to Thee, O Christ the Son,

And Holy Ghost, blest Three in One.

ἁι μυροφόροι γυναῖκες

I

Morn of beauty, joyous morn,

Hails the Resurrection Day,

All our fears are borne away,

Hope into our world is born.

II

See, the stone is rolled away;

Empty stands the silent tomb,

Death is dead, and gone the gloom

Where the risen Saviour lay.

III

Women bear the spices, sad,

In the early morning grey,

But they wiped their tears away,

For the angel made them glad.

IV

Tell the tidings far abroad,

“He is risen even as He said,”

Life immortal from the dead

Is the gift of Christ our God.

V

Glory, glory evermore,

To the Christ who died to save,

Wresting victory from the grave,

To the Christ we now adore.

καί ὅ τι ἄν αἰτήσητε τοῦτο ποιήσω

I

O ever ready to forgive,

Thou merciful and mild,

I long before Thy face to live

As trustful as a child.

II

Thy Spirit leads me to repent,

And cast my care on Thee;

I come to Him whom Thou hast sent,

And bring my guilt with me.

III

O ever ready to bestow

The help I daily need,

Be Thou my strength where’er I go,

My present Friend indeed.

IV

Then shall I live for evermore

Rejoicing in Thy love,

And follow, if Thou goest before,

To better things above.

με νὺξ ἐδέξατο

I

O Son of God, on Thee we call,

Blest Jesu, ere the darkness fall,

Come near us in Thy grace;

We own the sins that mar our life,

And stem our efforts in the strife,

And shamed we hide our face.

II

The morning came, and hope was clear,

And void the soul of doubt and fear;

But ere the noontide shone,

The light was darkened in the sky,

For thickest clouds came rolling nigh,

And all our peace was gone.

III

And now the night is bringing dread,

For guilt is resting on our head;—

O Christ, our prayers hear,

Who bore our sorrows on the Cross,

Who paid for us our priceless loss,—

And come in mercy near.

IV

Give us to know Thy strength is given

To all who tread the path to heaven—

That we may fail to gain,

And fall to rise, and forward press

In light and dark, in storm and stress

Of fear and doubt and pain.

V

Give us to know Thy mercies wait

On those who knock at heaven’s gate,

That none can knock in vain;

For He who died for sinful men

Would have them come, and come again,

Nor fainting e’er refrain.

ζωτικῆς ἐξ ὕψους βιαίας φερομένης

I

The Christ of God to sorrowing hearts

A gracious promise made,

To send to them when He departs

The Holy Spirit’s aid.

II

And when the time appointed came,

Lo! with a rushing power,

The house was filled with tongues of flame,

That Pentecostal hour.

III

And souls received new power from God,

And hearts with zeal were fired,

When once the word of truth abroad

The lives of men inspired.

IV

O Comforter, the Holy Ghost,

Now, as of old, come down,

And with the power of Pentecost

Our drooping spirits crown.

ἐξαγορευσω κατ’ ἐμοῦ τὴν ἀνομίαν μου τῷ κυρίῳ

I

My sin was very great,

Its burden bore me down,

I dared not lift my eyes to God,

So much I feared his frown.

And sore my conscience smote,

And all was sad within,

For I had turned away from God,

Who loved me in my sin.

II

I said, “I’ll tell it all,

The sin, the grief, the pain,

Mayhap He’ll pardon my offence,

And take me back again.”

And then my heart was glad,

To think it might be done,

If I but cast myself upon

The merits of His Son.

III

I said, “Ah God, receive

The sacrifice I bring—

A broken and a contrite heart,

That is my offering;

And for His sake Who came

To bear the Cross of pain,

Forgive the error of my life,

And take me back again.”

IV

’Twas then the heart of love

That I had wounded sore,

In loving accents spake to me,

And bade me grieve no more;

And spake the word of grace

That made my spirit whole;

And now the pain and grief are gone,

For gladness fills my soul.

ἠν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν

I

When the morn comes o’er the hills

Bringing life, and light, and gladness,

Scattering our night-born ills,

Banishing our fear and sadness;

Christ of God, Thou Light of light,

Banish then our inward night.

II

Ah! our spirits pine and die

In the chill of night that binds us;

And we cannot see Thee nigh

For the dark that inly blinds us;

Morning Star, in beauty shine,

Let us see Thy light benign.

III

On our minds Thy peace bestow,

Let no cruel blast distress us,

Ever onward as we go,

May no crushing load oppress us;

Light of light, when night is near,

Give Thy peace, and banish fear.

IV

When the noontide all ablaze

Fills the heaven with light supernal,

And we dwell with glad amaze

In the bliss of the Eternal;

Light that cheered my life below,

Still Thy joy and peace bestow.

ἅγιος ἀθάνατος, τὸ παράκλητον Πνεῦμα

I

The promise which the Saviour made

When His disciples sorrowed most,

That He would send to comfort them

The life inspiring Holy Ghost,

Found its fulfilment when they met

Upon the hallowed Pentecost.

II

And ever through the linked years,

From then till now the Gift is sure;

And they who sorrow for their sin,

Or trial’s bitter pangs endure,

And they who mourn, and they who weep,

Find in the Gift a peace secure.

III

Vainly we mourn our absent Lord,

If Thou, the Comforter be near;

For it is Thine to take of His,

And make us feel that He is here;

We still may joy when others grieve,

And hope when threatening clouds appear.

IV

Come, Holy Ghost, with us reside,

Let Thy sweet presence calm our soul;

And make us strong to fight and win,

And all our wayward wills control;

To give us comfort when we weep,

And bind our hearts, and make them whole.

δίδου παραμυθίαν τοῖς δούλοις σου

I

When sorrow’s clouds are circling near,

And minds are charged with doubt and fear;

When sun nor moon nor stars of light,

Break on the darkness of the night;

Then, Gift of Christ desired most,

Come to our help, O Holy Ghost.

II

When disappointment’s pangs are sore,

And wounded hearts that suffering bore,

Break ’neath the burden by the way,

And in their weakness, helpless pray;

Then, Gift of Christ desired most,

Come to our help, O Holy Ghost.

III

When like a spectre gaunt and grey

Bereavement steals the heart away,

And all is empty, poor, and bare,

For those we loved were everywhere;

Then, Gift of Christ desired most,

Come to our help, O Holy Ghost.

IV

When for our sins we mourn and sigh,

And ’neath the Cross prostrated lie;

When for the conscience crushed by guilt,

We claim His Grace whose Blood was spilt;

Then, Gift of Christ desired most,

Come to our help, O Holy Ghost.

V

When braced, the soul resolving springs,

And reaches forth to better things;

And high above the world would rise,

To eager snatch the offered prize;

Then, Gift of Christ desired most,

Come to our help, O Holy Ghost.

ὅτι ἐτέχθη ἐπὶ γῆς ὁ Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν

I

He came to earth who came from God,

And left in heaven His blest abode,

And all the joy He had;

To share our lot, and all its woe,

And wander homeless here below,

All sorrowing and sad.

II

He came to earth who came from God,

And ah! our rugged paths He trod,

And faint, and tired, and lone,

He bore the burden of our guilt,

And on a Cross His blood was spilt

For sinners to atone.

III

He went to God who came to earth;

Now sing the new creation’s birth,

And mankind born again;

For death is dead, and He who lives,

Eternal life to mortals gives,

The Faithful, True, Amen.

ὁ δέ βιος, σκιά καὶ ἐνύπνιον

I

The joy of earth is fleeting,

The bliss of heaven remains;

More sweet than earthly music

The angel’s glad refrains;

And hearts of saints uprising

Find vent in sweetest song,

And lips of saints and angels

The praise of heaven prolong.

II

O Christ, who art for ever

With those whom Thou dost love,

Thou art the theme inspiring

The choirs who dwell above;

The love that brought Thee earthward,

The love that stooped and died,

The pardon won for sinners,

When Thou wast crucified.

III

Be Thee our theme who linger

Where Thou didst sorrowing dwell;

And teach our hearts to love Thee,

Our lips to praise Thee well;

And when we come adoring

To where Thou ever art,

One song shall rise exulting,

From one united heart.

εν τῷ φωτὶ Χριστὲ τοῦ προσώπου σου

I

Safe in the comfort of Thy grace,

Give me, O Lord, a resting place,

From every tumult free;

From strife of sin, and sense of guilt,

For lo, my confidence is built,

Most gracious Lord, on Thee.

II

There is no other comfort nigh,

And sad of heart I mourning sigh—

Lord, Thou alone canst aid;

Wilt Thou my prayer in anger spurn,

And from Thy trembling servant turn,

Whose soul is sore dismayed?

III

Nay, if I doubting, still believe,

Thou wilt my faulty prayer receive,

And grant the boon I crave;

For ’tis Thy promise I would claim,

And in the all-availing name

Of Him Who came to save.

IV

So shall Thy peace my heart control,

And fill with calm my troubled soul,

My every tumult still;

And thus I learn to trust Thee more,

For billows surge, and tempests roar

Obedient at Thy will.

V

And in the shining of Thy face,

A man shall be an hiding place,

And covert from the wind;

And while the tempest breaks around,

I peaceful rest on tranquil ground,

Where Thou, O Lord, art kind.