Welcome, morning of joy, glad feast that all ages shall hallow,
Day wherein vanquishing hell, God to high heaven ascends.

Calm is the breath of the spring that wakens the glory of blossom,
Brighter the sunlight that streams forth from the gates of the sky.

Christ hath trod under his feet the kingdom of torment and sadness;
Decked is the woodland with leaves, earth strews her flowers at his feet.

Trampling the powers of hell he mounts on his journey to heaven:
Heaven's light hails him as God; field, sky and sea tell his praise.

Strike of the fetters that bind the spirits that hell hath imprisoned,
Call back and lift to the light souls rushing down to the pit.

Out of the prison of death thou art rescuing souls without number;
Freely they press to the goal whither their Maker leads on.

Now may'st thou nurse in thine arms a people that knows no defilement,
Bear them aloft to be given for a pure hostage to God.

Two are the crowns that for thee the Father hath laid up in heaven:
One shalt thou wear for thine own, one for a people redeemed.

Jesu, thou Saviour of all, Creator of men and Redeemer,
Only begotten of God, sprung from the Deity's fount;

Equal, coeval art thou, and in fellowship one with the Father;
Thine was the word of command when all creation began.

Thou too, beholding in love the depth of humanity's ruin,
Man to deliver from death, Man didst vouchsafe to become.


Venantius Fortunatus
tr. C. S. Phillips