Introduction.
Hora noviſſima, || tempora peſſima || ſunt, vigilemus.
Ecce minaciter || imminet arbiter || ille ſurpremus.
Imminet, imminet || et mala terminet, || æqua coronet,
Recta remuneret, || anxia liberet, || æthera donet,
Auſerat aſpera || duraque pondera || mentes onuſtæ,
Sobria muniat, || improba puniat, | utraque juſte.
Theſe are the latter times, theſe are not better times,
let us ſtand waiting:
Lo, how with awfulneſs He, firſt in lawfulneſs,
comes arbitrating!
Nearer and nearer yet!—Wrong ſhall in terror ſet,
right ſhine refulgent.
Sad ones He liberates, righteous renumerates, ever
indulgent;
Harſhneſs He mitigates, burdened ſouls animates,
freeing them lightly;
Holy ones bleſſeth He, wicked diſtreſſeth He—
each alike rightly.
Hours of the lateſt! times of the baſeſt! our vigil before us!
Judgment eternal of Being ſupernal now hanging o'er us!
Evil to terminate, equity vindicate, cometh the Kingly;
Righteouſneſs ſeeing, anxious hearts freeing, crowning each ſingly,
Bearing life's wearineſs, taſting life's bitterneſs, life as it must be
Th' righteous retaining, ſinners arraigning, judging all juſtly.
The world is very evil,
The times are waxing late;
Be ſober and keep vigil,
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