Christ The Word! Thine Incarnation Links my nature to Thine own; By Thy sore Humiliation, I am lifted to Thy throne; By Thy suffering Thou hast fired me With a zeal to sacrifice, And to noble life inspired me,-- Hence my grateful songs arise.
Word of God! Thy Crucifixion Hath upraised me from the earth; By Thy death and dereliction, Thou hast given me nobler birth; By Thy Resurrection glorious, Life immortal now I own,-- Hence ascend my songs victorious To Thy praise, O Christ the Son.
By Thy hand at the creation, Thou didst form me from the ground, And, to mark my kingly station, With Thine image I was crowned; And that hand, when pierced and bleeding, Raised me from corruption's mire, And, though all this love unheeding, Decked me with divine attire.
Thou who gav'st my soul its being, Breathing in me life divine, Didst, by Thine all-wise decreeing, Unto death Thy life resign; And from death my soul defending, Thou didst sojourn with the dead, That Thou mightst, my fetters rending, Raise me up, Thou Glorious Head!
Shame be on your heads abiding, Disobedient people now, Who to death, and vile deriding, Caused the Word of God to bow! Shame! for death, nor powers infernal, Nor the dark of hades' gloom, Could retain the King Eternal In the bondage of the tomb.
{ Deute kai mimêsômetha en tê parousê heortê.}
Another rendering from the Greek of Bishop Nektarios. The original is on page 68 of his collection, where it is entitled, { Hymnos eis tên baptisin tou kyriou hêmôn Iêsou Christou}. The hymn is obviously based on the troparian and contakion for the Feast of the Theophany, or Epiphany (January 6), and the contakion for the Feast of St. John Baptist (January 7). The latter contakion reads thus:--
"At Thy bodily presence Jordan was driven back in fear; John shook with trembling as he fulfilled his prophetic ministry; the host of angels were amazed at seeing the Baptized in the flesh, and all that were in the dark shades [of hades] received light, and praised Thee Who hast appeared, and hast lightened everything." (Menaeon, Venice edition, page 81.)
Come, keep this Feast, who holy things revere, And with pure minds, your Lord adore with fear.
Lo, to the Jordan on this sacred day, The Bridegroom from His chamber took His way.