400
THOU AND I
"When first I, sleepless, saw it
Slow breaking through the dark—
Nay, hear me, Balthazar,
And thou, O Melchior, hark!—
Slow breaking through the dark—
Nay, hear me, Balthazar,
And thou, O Melchior, hark!—
"When first I saw the star
It bore the form of a child,
It held in its hand a sceptre,
Or the cross of the undefiled.
It bore the form of a child,
It held in its hand a sceptre,
Or the cross of the undefiled.
"Lo! somewhere on the earth
It shines above His rest—
The Royal One, the Babe,
On mortal mother's breast.
It shines above His rest—
The Royal One, the Babe,
On mortal mother's breast.
"Now haste we forth to find Him—
To worship at His feet,
To Him of whom the prophets sang
Bearing oblations meet!
To worship at His feet,
To Him of whom the prophets sang
Bearing oblations meet!
Then the Three Holy Kings
Went forth in eager haste,
With servants and with camels,
Toward the desert waste.
Went forth in eager haste,
With servants and with camels,
Toward the desert waste.
Ah! knew they what they bore?
Gold for the earthly king—
Frankincense for the God—
Myrrh for man's suffering.
Gold for the earthly king—
Frankincense for the God—
Myrrh for man's suffering.
With breath of costly spices
And precious gums of Isis,
The desert air was sweet,
As on they fared by day and night
Judea's King to greet.
And precious gums of Isis,
The desert air was sweet,
As on they fared by day and night
Judea's King to greet.
