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150

TRANSFIGURATION.

I shall, perhaps, render the following Canon more acceptable to most readers if, instead of translating the Odes in detail, I make a cento from the more remarkable Troparia.

They are principally from the first four Odes.

7,6,7,6

Cosmas, the Melodist, 760

χορος Ισραηλ.

The choirs of ransomed Israel,

The Red Sea’s passage o’er,

Uprais’d the hymn of triumph

Upon the further shore:

And shouted, as the foeman

Was whelmed beneath the sea,—

‘Sing we to Judah’s Saviour,

For glorified is He!’

151

Amongst His Twelve Apostles

CHRIST spake the Words of Life,

And showed a realm of beauty

Beyond a world of strife:

‘When all My FATHER’s glory

Shall shine expressed in Me,

Then praise Him, then exalt Him,

For magnified is He!’

Upon the Mount of Tabor

The promise was made good;

When, baring all the Godhead,

In light itself He stood:

And they, in awe beholding,

The Apostolic Three,

Sang out to GOD their Saviour,

For magnified was He!

152

In days of old, on Sinai,

The LORD of Sabaoth18181st ed.: LORD Jehovah came,

In majesty of terror,

In thunder-cloud and flame:

On Tabor, with the glory

Of sunniest light for vest,

The excellence of beauty

In JESUS was expressed.

All hours and days inclined there,

And did Thee worship meet,

The sun himself adored Thee,

And bowed him at Thy feet:

While Moses and Elias,

Upon the Holy Mount,

The co-eternal glory

Of CHRIST our GOD recount.

153

O holy, wonderous Vision!

But what, when this life past,

The beauty of Mount Tabor

Shall end in Heav’n at last?

But what, when all the glory

Of uncreated light

Shall be the promised guerdon

Of them that win the fight?

[No. 5 in Mr. Sedding’s book.]

154
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