THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

I.

DAY of doom! that dreadful day! Heaven and earth shall pass away— Sybils thus and prophets say.

II.

Dire shall then the trembling be!
Man his coming Judge shall see-
Judge that judgeth righteously.

III.

Hark! the trumpet's thrilling tone,
Through the tombs of ages gone,
Summons all before the throne.

IV.

Death, aghast, his realms hath fled: Lo! to judgment, from their bed, Wake the nations of the dead.

V.

Lo! the book of doom outspread,
Wherein every deed is read-

Deed and thought, of quick and dead.

VI.

On his throne the Judge is seated;
Now must vengeance due be meted,
Each disguise of guilt defeated.

VII.

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus? Cùm vix justus sit securus.

VIII.

Rex tremendæ majestatis,
Qui salvandos salvas gratis,
Salva me, fons pietatis.

IX.

Recordare, Jesu pie,
Quòd sum causa tuæ viæ;
Ne me perdas illâ die.

X.

Quærens me, sedisti lassus-
Redemisti, crucem passus:
Tantus labor non sit cassus.

XI.

Juste Judex ultionis,

Donum fac remissionis

Ante diem rationis.

XII.

Ingemisco tanquam reus ;
Culpâ rubet vultus meus:
Supplicanti parce, Deus.

XIII.

Qui Mariam absolvisti,
Et latronem exaudisti,

Mihi quoque spem dedisti.

VII.

What shall then a sinner plead?
Who for me shall intercede ?
When the righteous scarce is freed?

VIII.

Thou, who sav'st for love alone,
Deign, from thy dread judgment throne,
Fount of pity! me to own.

IX.

Oh! forget not, in that day,
Jesus! thou, when veiled in clay,
Trod'st for me thy lowly way:

X.

Me to seek, didst toil and pain-
Me to save, the cross sustain.
Let not all thy pangs be vain.

XI.

Righteous Judge, of vengeance dread!

Free forgiveness on me shed,

Ere the day of grace be sped.

XII.

Deeply groans my breast with shame : Crimsoned is my face for blame : Spare me, Lord, for thy dear name.

XIII.

Thou didst set the adultress free,
Heard'st the thief upon the tree;
Hope thou givest e'en to me.

XIV.

Preces meæ non sunt dignæ,
Sed tu bonus fac benigne,
Ne perenni cremer igne.

XV.

Inter oves locum præsta,
Et ab hædis me sequestra,
Statuens in parte dextrâ.

XVI.

Confutatis maledictis,

Flammis acribus addictis,
Voca me cum benedictis.

XVII.

Oro supplex et acclinis,
Cor contritum quasi cinis,
Gere curam mei finis.

ANCIENT HYMN.

XIV.

Worthless are the prayers I make;
Yet for thy sweet mercy's sake,
Save me from the fiery lake.

XV.

Separate from the accursed band,
Fold me with the sheep that stand,
Pure and safe, at thy right hand.

XVI.

When the lost, to silence driven,
To devouring flames are given,
Call me with the blest to Heaven.

XVII.

Low in dust I bow my knee;
Cry with broken heart to Thee:
In my end remember me.*

*The above translation has been formed from several sources.

Mr. Williams's translation has supplied one or two of the best stanzas; though, as a whole, it entirely fails to represent the force and pathos of the original, which may, indeed, be considered absolutely untranslatable.