r bitter thirst,
No evil nor age: but ever their King
615 Granteth his grace to the glorious band
That loves its Lord and everlasting King,
That glorifies and praises the power of God.
That host round the holy high-set throne
Makes then melody in mighty strains;
620 The blessed saints blithely sing
In unison with angels, orisons to the Lord:
"Peace to thee, O God, thou proud Monarch,
Thou Ruler reigning with righteousness and skill;
Thanks for thy goodly gifts to us all;
625 Mighty and measureless is thy majesty and strength,
High and holy! The heavens, O Lord,
Are fairly filled, O Father Almighty,
Glory of glories, in greatness ruling
Among angels above and on earth beneath!
630 Guard us, O God of creation; thou governest all things!
Lord of the highest heavens above!"
So shall the saints sing his praises,
Those free from sin, in that fairest of cities,
Proclaim his power, the righteous people,
635 The host in heaven hail the Redeemer:
Honor without end is only for him,
Not ever at all had he any birth,
Any beginning of bliss, though he was born in the world,
On this earth in the image of an innocent child;
640 With unfailing justice and fairest judgments,
High above the heavens in holiness he dwelt!
Though he must endure the death of the cross,
Bear the bitter burden of men,
When three days have passed after the death of his body,
645 He regains new life through the love of God,
Through the aid of the Father. So the Phoenix betokens
In his youthful state, the strength of Christ,
Who in a wondrous wise awakes from the ashes
Unto the life of life, with limbs begirded;
650 So the Savior sought to aid us
Through the loss of his body, life without end.
Likewise that fowl filleth his wings,
Loads them with sweet and scented roots,
With winsome flowers and flies away;
655 These are the words, wise men tell us,
The songs of the holy ones whose souls go to heaven,
With the loving Lord to live for aye,
In bliss of bliss, where they bring to God
Their words and their works, wondrous in savor,
660