Resp. -- To Thee be praise from Thy flock in the day of Thy Epiphany!

1. The heavens He has renewed, for that fools worshipped all the luminaries: -- He has renewed the earth, for that in Adam it was wasted. -- That which He fashioned has become new by His spittle: -- and the All-Sufficing has restored bodies with souls.

2. Gather yourselves again ye -- sheep and without labour receive cleansing! -- for one needs not as Elisha -- to bathe seven times in the river, nor again to be wearied as the priests are wearied with sprinklings.

3. Seven times Elisha purified himself in a mystery of the seven spirits; -- and the hyssop and blood are a mighty symbol. -- There is no room for division; -- He is not divided from the Lord of all Who is Son of the Lord of all.

4. Moses sweetened in Marah the waters that were bitter, -- because the People complained and murmured: -- Thus he gave a sign of baptism, -- wherein the Lord of life makes sweet them that were bitter.

5. The cloud overshadowed and kept off the burning heat from the camp; -- it showed a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which overshadows you in baptism -- tempering the flaming fire that it harm not your bodies.

6. Through the sea the People then passed, and showed a symbol -- of the baptism wherein ye were washed. The People passed through that and believed not: -- the Gentiles were baptized in this and believed and received the Holy Ghost.

7. The Word sent the Voice to proclaim before His Coming, -- to prepare for Him the way by which He came, -- and to betroth the Bride till He should come, -- that she might be ready when He should come and take her from the water.

8. The voice of prophecy stirred the son of the barren woman, -- and he went forth wandering in the desert and crying, -- |Lo! the Son of the Kingdom comes! -- prepare ye the way that He may enter and abide in your dwellings!|

9. John cried, |Who comes after me, He is before me: -- I am the Voice but not the Word; -- I am the torch but not the Light; -- the Star that rises before the Sun of Righteousness.|

10. In the wilderness this John had cried and had said, -- |Repent ye sinners of your evils, -- and offer the fruits of repentance; -- for lo! He comes that winnows the wheat from the tares.|

11. The Lightgiver has prevailed and marked a mystery, by the degrees he ascended: -- Lo! there are twelve days since he ascended, -- and to-day this is the thirteenth: -- a perfect mystery of Him, the Son, and His twelve!

12. Darkness was overcome to make it manifest that Satan was overcome; -- and the Light prevailed that he should proclaim -- that the Firstborn triumphs: darkness was overcome -- with the Dark Spirit, and our Light prevailed with the Lightgiver.

13. In the Height and the Depth the Son had two heralds. -- The star of light proclaimed Him from above; -- John likewise preached Him from beneath: -- two heralds, the earthly and the heavenly.

14. The star of light, contrary to nature, shone forth of a sudden; -- less than the sun yet greater than the sun. -- Less was it than he in manifest light; -- and greater than he in secret might because of its mystery.

15. The star of light shed its rays among them that were in darkness, -- and guided them as though they were blind; -- so that they came and met the great Light: -- they gave offerings and received life and adored and departed.

16. The herald from above showed His Nature to be from the Most High; -- likewise he that was from beneath showed His Body to be from humankind, mighty marvel! -- that His Godhead and His Manhood by them were proclaimed!

17. Thus whoso reckons Him as of earth, the star of light -- will convince him that He is of Heaven: and whoso reckons Him as of spirit, -- this John will convince him that He is also bodily.

18. John drew near with his parents and worshipped the Sun, -- and brightness rested on His Face. -- He was not moved as when in the womb. -- Mighty marvel! that here he worships and there he leaped!

19. The whole creation became for Him as one mouth and cried out concerning Him. -- The Magi cry out in their gifts; -- the barren cry out with their children; -- the star of light, lo! it cries out in the air, |Behold the Son of the King!|

20. The heavens are opened, the waters break forth, the dove is in glory! -- The voice of the Father is stronger than thunder, -- as it utters the word, |This is My Beloved|; -- the Watchers brought the tidings, the children acclaimed Him in their Hosannas.