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Words: Ambrose of Milan, 4th Century (Splendor paternae gloriae); translated from Latin to English by Robert Seymour Bridges, 1899, and John Mason Neale.
Music: "Wareham," William Knapp, 1738
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O splendor of God's glory bright,
O Thou that bringest light from light;
O Light of light, light's living spring,
O day, all days illumining.
O Thou true Sun, on us Thy glance
Let fall in royal radiance;
The Spirit's sanctifying beam
Upon our earthly senses stream.
The Father, too, our prayers implore,
Father of glory evermore;
The Father of all grace and might,
To banish sin from our delight.
To guide whate'er we nobly do,
With love all envy to subdue;
To make ill fortune turn to fair,
And give us grace our wrongs to bear.
Our mind be in His keeping placed
Our body true to Him and chaste,
Where only faith her fire shall feed,
To burn the tares of Satan's seed.
And Christ to us for food shall be,
From Him our drink that welleth free,
The Spirit's wine, that maketh whole,
And, mocking not, exalts the soul.
Morn in her rosy car is borne;
Let Him come forth our perfect morn,
The Word in God the Father one,
The Father perfect in the Son.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete.
Here's another translation, compiled by Louis Fitzgerald Benson, 1910:
O splendor of God's glory bright,
From light eternal bringing light,
Thou Light of light, light's living Spring,
True Day, all days illumining.
Come, very Sun of heaven's love,
In lasting radiance from above,
And pour the Holy Spirit's ray
On all we think or do today.
And now to Thee our pray'rs ascend,
O Father glorious without end;
We plead with Sovereign Grace for pow'r
To conquer in temptation's hour.
Confirm our will to do the right,
And keep our hearts from envy's blight;
Let faith her eager fires renew,
And hate the false, and love the true.
O joyful be the passing day
With thoughts as pure as morning's ray,
With faith like noontide shining bright,
Our souls unshadowed by the night.
Dawn's glory gilds the earth and skies,
Let Him, our prefect Morn, arise,
The Word in God the Father one,
The Father imaged by the Son.
Hymns supplied through the gracious generosity of the Cyber Hymnal Website