¹ We Pray to the Father
The almighty King,
And Jesus Christ,
And also the Holy Spirit.
Alleluia.

² To God in one
Perfect substance,
Three in three
Persons to be adored.

³ The light source of all,
The radiance of the heavenly luminaries,
And of those shining upon
The world.

⁴ For this is the day
As the firstborn
Shone from the heights of heaven
Upon the fabric of the world.

⁵ Thus the Word became flesh
From the beginning,
The eternal light
Sent by the Father to the age.

⁶ He took strength from chaos
And suddenly
Drove away the night
From the world.

⁷ In this way, through slumber,
The enemy was subdued,
And he unbound the heavens
From the knotted chain of death.

⁸ Darkness lay above
The abyss
Until the first
Day of days shone forth.

⁹ When this true light appeared,
It covered mortal hearts
Steeped in
Profound ignorance.

¹⁰ On the same day,
The Red Sea, as they say,
Was left behind
When Israel was freed.

¹¹ Through this we are taught
To despise the works of the world
And to abide in the desert
Of virtues.

¹² When the savage foe
Was overwhelmed and reduced to ashes,
They sang praises to God
In competition, led by the fiery pillar.

¹³ Thus delivered,
We are commanded to praise God
For casting out
Wicked enemies.

¹⁴ And just as that day
Became the beginning of light,
So this one is
The beginning of salvation.

¹⁵ The first is placed
In the tenor of the day,
But the second truly
In the warmth of faith.

¹⁶ At the end of the world,
After so many mysteries,
The Savior will appear
With great mercy.

¹⁷ So clearly
Do the elements testify
As do the mouths of the prophets,
Who celebrate in clarity.

¹⁸ Born as a man
In mortal flesh,
He did not abandon heaven,
Remaining in the Trinity.

¹⁹ Wrapped in swaddling clothes,
He is venerated by the Magi,
Shining in the stars,
Adored in the heavens.

²⁰ In humble stature,
He is confined to a manger,
Though He could hold
The world in His palm.

²¹ His first sign
He revealed to the disciples:
Water was transformed
Into the taste of nectar.

²² Then, through the prophet,
It was fulfilled as written,
“The lame will leap
Like a deer” with speed.

²³ He spoke plainly,
Releasing bonds,
And the mute tongues
Obeyed the Lord’s command.

²⁴ The deaf are healed,
The blind and leprous restored,
The dead are raised,
And the graves are emptied.

²⁵ Five loaves of bread
He divided among men,
Surely satisfying
Thousands.

²⁶ After such great acts
Of divine mercy,
That one, hateful,
Burned with envy.

²⁷ He who envied
And hated the soul
Was prayed for
By the one extending mercy to his enemies.

²⁸ A plan was made
Against Him,
The one called the messenger
Of great counsel.

²⁹ They approached Him
As a thief with swords,
Ready to hand Him over
To eternal flames.

³⁰ Finally, He was handed over
To human judgment,
Condemned by a mortal king
To eternal punishment.

³¹ Nailed to the cross,
He wondrously shook the heavens,
And the light of the sun
Was darkened for three hours.

³² Rocks were split,
The temple veil was torn,
And the living dead
Rose from their graves.

³³ He freed the one bound
In knots for nearly a thousand years,
Rescuing the aged
From the grave’s ferocity.

³⁴ And the first man,
Condemned through shameful offspring,
He redeemed
From death’s cruel vengeance.

³⁵ Finally, the lost sheep,
The hundredth, He carried
Upon His heavenly shoulders
Back to the fold.

³⁶ Whom we await
As the judge to come,
Rendering to each
Their just works.

³⁷ How can we repay
Him for such great and wondrous gifts
In a way
Worthy of such mercy?

³⁸ What mortal words
Could narrate these things,
Which no one
Could fully express?

³⁹ Therefore, we pray for this,
And it is the greatest request:
Eternal Lord,
Have mercy on us.
Alleluia.