AWAKE, ARISE, THY LIGHT IS COME. WAKE, arise, thy light is come; The nations, that before outshone thee, Now at thy feet lie dark and dumb- Arise the Gentiles to thy ray From ev'ry nook of earth shall cluster; And kings and princes haste to pay Their homage to thy rising lustre. Lift up thine eyes around, and see, O'er foreign fields, o'er farthest waters, Thy exiled sons return to thee, To thee return thy home-sick daughters. And camels rich, from Midian's tents, Shall lay their treasures down before thee; And Saba bring her gold and scents, To fill thy air and sparkle o'er thee. See, who are these that, like a cloud, Surely the isles shall wait for me, The ships of Tarshish round will hover, To bring thy sons across the sea, And waft their gold and silver over. And Lebanon thy pomp shall grace- And make the ground I tread on glorious. No more shall Discord haunt thy ways, The sun no more shall make thee bright, The sun shall never more go down; My own, elect, and righteous Land! S once a Grecian maiden wove Her garland mid the summer bow'rs, Nor knew what magic hues the heart CHORUS. Blest be Love, to whom we owe His hand had pictured many a rose, And sketch'd the rays that light the brook; But what were these, or what were those, To woman's blush, to woman's look? "Oh, if such magic pow'r there be, This, this," he cried, " is all my prayer, To paint that living light I see, And fix the soul that sparkles there." His prayer, as soon as breath'd, was heard; Then first carnations learn'd to speak, Then hyacinths their darkest dyes CHORUS. Blest be Love, to whom we owe JOYS OF YOUTH, HOW FLEETING! HISP'RINGS, heard by wakeful maids, Oh, sweet youth, how soon it fades! |