The Lord will come.
THE
HE Lord will come! the earth shall quake, The hills their fixed seat forsake; And, withering from the vault of night, The stars withdraw their feeble light.
The Lord will come! but not the same
As once in lowly form he came,
A silent lamb to slaughter led,
The bruised, the suffering, and the dead.
The Lord will come! a dreadful form,
With wreath of flame and robe of storm,
On cherub wings, and wings of wind,
Anointed Judge of human kind!
Can this be he who wont to stray,
A pilgrim on the world's highway ;
By power oppressed, and mocked by pride?
O God! is this the Crucified?
Go, tyrants! to the rocks complain !
Go, seek the mountain's cleft in vain!
But Faith, victorious o'er the tomb,
Shall sing for joy—the Lord is come!
Dies Ira.
IES IRÆ. DIES ILLA!
Solvet sæclum in favilla,
Teste David cum Sibylla.
D"
Quantus tremor est futurus
Quando Judex est venturus,
Cuncta stricte discussurus!
Qui Mariam absolvisti,
Et latronem exaudisti,
Mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Preces meæ non sunt dignæ;
Sed Tu bonus fac benigne
Ne perenni cremer igne!
Inter oves locum præsta,
Et ab hædis me sequestra,
Statuens in parte dextra.
Confutatis maledictis,
Flammis acribus addictis,
Voca me cum benedictis!
Oro supplex et acclinis,
Cor contritum quasi cinis,
Gere curam mei finis!
Lacrymosa dies illa!
Qua resurget ex favilla
Judicandus homo reus;
Huic ergo parce, Deus!
Dies Ira.
AY of wrath! That day of mourning Sees our earth to ashes turning ;Such the seer's and sibyl's warning.
DAY
Ah! the dread each bosom rending,
When the Judge in flame descending,
Shall his glance through all be sending!
When the trumpet's blast appalling,
Midst earth's charneled millions falling,
All before the throne is calling!
Death's stern heart what fear surprises,
As from dust creation rises
To the last and great assizes!
Opened are the awful pages,
Where the record of all ages
Man's eternal doom presages.
When the Judge shall take his station,
Full shall be the revelation,
Naught escape his stern probation.
What shall I, poor wretch, be pleading?
Ask what patron's interceding,
When the righteous help is needing?
King of majesty tremendous,
Who dost free salvation send us,
Save me, Source of love stupendous !
Think, O Jesus, kind and tender!
Why thou leftst thy throne of splendor,
Nor to death my soul surrender.
Me thou sought'st with travail sorest;
Crown of thorns for me thou worest;
Be not vain the toil thou borest.
Righteous Judge of dread decision,
Freely grant my sin's remission,
Ere the day of inquisition.
Deep my guilty spirit sigheth;
Shame my cheek with crimson dyeth ;
Spare the suppliant when he crieth!
Qui Mariam absolvisti,
Et latronem exaudisti,
Mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Preces meæ non sunt dignæ;
Sed Tu bonus fac benigne
Ne perenni cremer igne!
Inter oves locum præsta,
Et ab hædis me sequestra,
Statuens in parte dextra.
Confutatis maledictis,
Flammis acribus addictis,
Voca me cum benedictis!
Oro supplex et acclinis,
Cor contritum quasi cinis,
Gere curam mei finis!
Lacrymosa dies illa!
Qua resurget ex favilla
Judicandus homo reus;
Huic ergo parce, Deus!
Dies Iræ.
AY of wrath! That day of mourning Sees our earth to ashes turning ;Such the seer's and sibyl's warning.
DAY
Ah! the dread each bosom rending,
When the Judge in flame descending,
Shall his glance through all be sending!
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