But leaves of green herbs brightly glance
    And in the grove the palm-trees dream,
  And laurels shade the eddying dance
        Of crystal stream.

  For all these gifts, O Shepherd dear,
    What service can I render Thee? 
  No grateful vows my debt shall clear
        For love so free.

  Though by self-chosen fasts severe
    Our strength of limb we waste away: 
  Though, spurning food, we Thee revere
    By night and day: 

  Yet our works never can o’ertake
    Thy love or with Thy gifts compare: 
  Our toils this earthen vessel break,
        The more we dare.

  Therefore lest failing powers consume
    Our fragile life and shrivelled veins
  Pale ’neath the tyranny of rheum
        And weakening pains: 

  Thou dost not rule perpetual Lent
    For man, nor modest fare deny: 
  Fearless may each unto his bent
        His wants supply.

  Enough that all our acts by prayer
    Be sanctified unto Thy will,
  Whether we fast, or with due care
        Our needs fulfil.

  Then shall God bless us for our good
    And lead us to our soul’s true wealth;
  For, if but consecrated, food
        Shall bring us health.

O Lord, grant that our feast may spread
Marrow and strength throughout our flesh: 
And may all Christly souls be fed
With vigour fresh.

IX.  HYMNUS omnis horae

Da puer plectrum, choreis ut canam fidelibus
dulce carmen et melodum, gesta Christi insignia: 
hunc camena nostra solum pangat, hunc laudet lyra.

Christus est, quem rex sacerdos adfuturum protinus
infulatus concinebat voce, chorda et tympano, 5
spiritum caelo influentem per medullas hauriens.

    Facta nos et iam probata pangimus miracula,
  testis orbis est, nec ipsa terra, quod vidit, negat,
  cominus Deum docendis proditum mortalibus.

    Corde natus ex parentis, ante mundi exordium 10
  alpha et O cognominatus, ipse fons et clausula
  omnium, quae sunt, fuerunt quaeque post futura sunt.

    Ipse iussit et creata, dixit ipse, et facta sunt
  terra, caelum, fossa ponti, trina rerum machina,
  quaeque in his vigent sub alto solis et lunae globo. 15

    Corporis formam caduci, membra morti obnoxia
  induit, ne gens periret primoplasti ex germine,
  merserat quam lex profundo noxialis tartaro.

    O beatus ortus ille, virgo cum puerpera
  edidit nostram salutem feta sancto spiritu, 20
  et puer redemptor orbis os sacratum protulit.

    Psallat altitudo caeli, psallite omnes angeli,
  quidquid est virtutis usquam psallat in laudem Dei: 
  nulla linguarum silescat, vox et omnis consonet.

    Ecce quem vates vetustis concinebant seculis, 25
  quem prophetarum fideles paginae spoponderant,
  emicat promissus olim:  cuncta conlaudent eum.