| Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907. | | | | Midnight Hymn of the Eastern Church | | By Gerard Moultrie (1829–1885) |
| | (From the Greek)
BEHOLD, the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night, | |
| And blest is he whose loins are girt, whose lamp is burning bright; | |
| But woe to that dull servant, whom his Master shall surprise | |
| With lamp untrimmed, unburning, and with slumber in his eyes. | |
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| Do thou, my soul, beware, beware, lest thou in sleep sink down, | 5 |
| Lest thou be given o’er to death, and lose the golden crown; | |
| But see that thou be sober, with a watchful eye, and thus | |
| Cry—Holy, Holy, Holy God, have mercy upon us. | |
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| That Day, the Day of Fear, shall come; my soul, slack not thy toil, | |
| But light thy lamp, and feed it well, and make it bright with oil; | 10 |
| Thou knowest not how soon may sound the cry at eventide, | |
| “Behold, the Bridegroom comes. Arise! Go forth to meet the Bride.” | |
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| Beware, my soul, beware, beware, lest thou in slumber lie, | |
| And, like the five, remain without, and knock, and vainly cry; | |
| But watch, and bear thy lamp undimmed, and Christ shall gird thee on | 15 |
| His own bright Wedding Robe of Light—the Glory of the Son. | | | | |
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