| [00:02.702] |
Luciferians: |
| [00:02.702] |
How oft belief proves but delusive hope! |
| [00:05.739] |
Alas! how things have changed. |
| [00:10.244] |
We deemed no rank than ours more happy in this rising Realm, |
| [00:14.989] |
Yea, thought our state even like unto God's own, |
| [00:18.743] |
More blessed than Earth and e'er unchangeable. |
| [00:23.236] |
Till Gabriel met us with his trumpet bold, |
| [00:26.742] |
And from the golden port the hosts astounded |
| [00:29.483] |
With this new-made decree, |
| [00:33.428] |
that shall deprive the Angels of the good, the highest good, |
| [00:37.424] |
First from the Godhead's breast to them outpoured. |
| [00:42.183] |
How is our glory dimmed! |
| [00:45.192] |
O unexpected blow and change of lot! |
| [00:48.431] |
Ah! comrades in one grief. |
| [00:51.426] |
Ah! come and gather round in groups and sigh |
| [00:55.432] |
And weep with us together here. |
| [00:57.442] |
Tis time to rend this shining raiment, meet for feasts, |
| [01:01.921] |
To voice our plaints; for none can this forbid. |
| [01:06.426] |
Our gladness fades and our first sorrow dawns. |
| [01:10.682] |
Alas! alas! ye choristers of Heaven, |
| [01:14.936] |
O brothers, tear those garlands from your brows |
| [01:18.431] |
And change the blithesome livery of joy |
| [01:21.426] |
For sorrow's gruesome garb. |
| [01:24.677] |
Oh! droop your eyes. |
| [01:27.673] |
Seek shadows even as we; for sorrow shuns the light. |
| [01:32.421] |
Let each one raise his voice to ours and utter fearful plaints. |
| [01:36.925] |
Drown in your grief; sink down in mournful thought. |
| [01:42.673] |
To voice your woe, the burdened heart relieves. |
| [01:47.189] |
Now joy to groan: For groaning heals the smart. |
| [01:54.179] |
Now shout aloud, As with one voice, |
| [01:56.929] |
and follow these our woes: |
| [02:03.874] |
Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [02:13.333] |
Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [02:19.099] |
where is our bliss? |
| [02:22.333] |
Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [02:29.597] |
Alas! alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [02:37.340] |
where is our bliss, Alas! |
| [02:40.775] |
Chorus of Angels. |
| [02:40.775] |
What plaint arises here, unpleasant sound? |
| [02:44.550] |
The Heavens shrink back in fright. |
| [02:47.530] |
This air on high hath not been wont to hear the wail of woe |
| [02:52.049] |
On sad notes sobbing through these joyful vaults. |
| [02:55.857] |
Nay, wreaths and palms and loud triumphal song |
| [03:00.607] |
And tuneful harps are far more meet for us. |
| [03:04.113] |
What can this be? |
| [03:06.863] |
Who crouches here with head Down-hanging, |
| [03:10.103] |
sad, forlorn, and needlessly oppressed? |
| [03:15.861] |
Who gave them food for grief? |
| [03:18.355] |
Who can the reason guess? |
| [03:20.852] |
O fellow choristers, come then, |
| [03:24.106] |
'tis needful that we ask the cause |
| [03:26.352] |
Of their lament and this dark cloud of woe, |
| [03:29.608] |
That robs our splendor of its radiance |
| [03:32.858] |
And dims and dulls the bright translucent glow of the eternal feast. |
| [03:38.118] |
Heaven is a court where joy and peace and all delights abound. |
| [03:42.612] |
Grief never nestled 'neath these lucid eaves, |
| [03:45.606] |
Nor woeful pain. Ah! fellow choristers. |
| [03:50.354] |
Oh! come, console them in their heaviness. |
| [03:59.291] |
Luciferians: |
| [03:59.291] |
O brothers, can ye ask with earnestness |
| [04:02.800] |
Why we thus grieve? |
| [04:04.796] |
Did ye also not hear what Gabriel's trump revealed: |
| [04:09.290] |
how we through this new-given command, |
| [04:12.799] |
down from our state are thrust into a slavery of Earth |
| [04:16.543] |
and of as many souls as from a little blood |
| [04:19.040] |
And seed may haply spring? |
| [04:21.791] |
What have we done amiss? |
| [04:23.291] |
how erred, that God a water-bubble, |
| [04:27.298] |
Blown full of vapid air, exalts. |
| [04:30.048] |
His sons,The Angels, to abase |
| [04:34.286] |
a bastardy exalts, formed out of clay and dust? |
| [04:41.514] |
Chorus: |
| [04:41.514] |
Companions dear in our high happiness. |
| [04:44.511] |
Oh! brothers, why? Oh! sons of the glad Light, |
| [04:50.019] |
Why thus depressed at heart? |
| [04:53.015] |
Ye had begun to lift your heads aloft to Heaven, |
| [04:56.021] |
To bloom amid the day, |
| [04:58.272] |
whose lustre streams from God's deep glow. |
| [05:01.517] |
The Heavens brought you forth |
| [05:04.263] |
To mount in rapid flight from firmament |
| [05:07.014] |
To firmament beyond, from court to court; |
| [05:10.523] |
To flit amid the shadeless light content, |
| [05:13.771] |
In one delightful life, an endless feast; |
| [05:17.183] |
Luciferians: |
| [05:17.183] |
Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [05:26.135] |
Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [05:32.147] |
where is our bliss? |
| [05:35.154] |
Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [05:42.389] |
Alas! Alas! where is our bliss departed? |
| [05:50.151] |
where is our bliss, alas? |
