Transfiguration

Hymns of the Eastern Church, by J.M. Neale, [1884], at sacred-texts.com

p. 150

TRANSFIGURATION.

by S. Cosmas

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.

χορὸς Ἰσραήλ.

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 whelm’d beneath the sea,—
'Sing we to Judah's Saviour,
  For glorified is He!'

p. 151

Amongst His Twelve Apostles
  Christ spake the Words of Life,
And show’d 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!

In days of old, on Sinai,
  The Lord of Sabaoth came, p. 152
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 express’d.

All hours and days inclin’d there,
  And did Thee worship meet,
The sun himself adored Thee,
  And bow’d him at Thy feet:
White Moses and Elias,
  Upon the Holy Mount,
The co-eternal glory
  Of Christ our God recount.

O holy, wonderous Vision!
  But what, when this life past,
The beauty of Mount Tabor
  Shall end in Heav’n at last? p. 153
But what, when all the glory
  Of uncreated light
Shall be the promis’d guerdon
  Of them that win the fight?

[No. 5 in Mr. Sedding's book.]