Littell's Living Age/Volume 128/Issue 1649/Hymnus Responsorius

by William Ewart Gladstone

HYMNUS RESPONSORIUS
	I.		I.
	"Scis te lassum? scis languentem? ⁠Luctu contristaris? Audin' 'Veni, veniensque ⁠Pace perfruaris."		Art thou weary, art thou languid, ⁠Art thou sore distrest? "Come to Me," saith One, "and coming, ⁠Be at rest!"
	II.		II.
R.	Notas habet, quas agnôrim ⁠Istum consectatus? "Manus, Plantæ, cruentatæ, ⁠Cruentatum Latus."		Hath He marks to lead me to Him, ⁠If He be my guide? "In His Feet and Hands are wound-prints, ⁠And His Side."
	III.		III.
R.	Ecquid portat, pro corona ⁠Quæ Monarchas ornat? "Diadema, sed spinarum, ⁠Frontem Hanc adornat."		Hath He diadem as Monarch ⁠That His Brow adorns? "Yea, a Crown, in very surety, ⁠But of thorns."
	IV.		IV.
R.	Sin obnitar, sin attingam, ⁠Quî remunerabit? "Luctûs, fletûs, ac laborum ⁠Largitatem dabit."		If I find Him, if I follow, ⁠What His guerdon here?, "Many a sorrow, many a labour, ⁠Many a tear."
	V.		V.
R.	Sin obstrictus adhærebo, ⁠Quis in fine status? "Viæ meta, luctûs fuga, ⁠Labor exantlatus."		If I still hold closely to Him, ⁠What hath He at last? "Sorrow vanquished, labour ended, ⁠Jordan past."
	VI.		VI.
R.	Si receptum supplicâssim, ⁠Votum exaudiret? "Quanquam Terra, quanquam Cœlum ⁠In ruinam iret."		If I ask Him to receive me, ⁠Will He say me nay? "Not till Earth, and not till Heaven ⁠Pass away."
	VII.		VII.
R.	Persistentem, perluctantem ⁠Certus est beare? "Vates quisque, Martyr, Virgo, ⁠Angelus, testare!"		Finding, following, keeping, struggling, ⁠Is He sure to bless? "Angels, Martyrs, Prophets, Virgins, ⁠Answer, Yes!"
	W.E. Gladstone. Nov., 1875.		By Dr. John Mason Neale (No. 254, Hymns Ancient and Modern, Revised and Enlarged); taken from the Greek of St. Stephen the Sabaite.
Contemporary Review.