O valiant hearts, who to your glory came
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O valiant hearts, who to your glory came Through dust of conflict and through battle flame; Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved, Your memory hallowed in the land you loved. Proudly you gathered, rank on rank, to war, As who had heard God's message from afar; All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave To save mankind - yourselves you scorned to save. Splendid you passed, the great surrender made, Into the light that never more shall fade; Deep your contentment in that blest abode, Who wait the last clear trumpet-call of God. Long years ago, as earth lay dark and still, Rose a loud cry upon a lonely hill, While in the frailty of our human clay Christ, our Redeemer, passed the self-same way. Still stands his Cross from that dread hour to this, Like some bright star above the dark abyss; Still, through the veil, the Victor's pitying eyes Look down to bless our lesser Calvaries. These were his servants, in his steps they trod, Following through death the martyred Son of God: Victor he rose; victorious too shall rise They who have drunk his cup of sacrifice. O risen Lord, O Shepherd of our dead, Whose Cross has bought them and whose staff has led, In glorious hope their proud and sorrowing land Commits her children to thy gracious hand. |
Virtute nacti claritudinem pugnae per ignem atque pulverem, o patriae probati milites, est parta vobis digna requies. Densastis agmen, ut in proelium vocantem audientes Dominum. Rem spemque proiecistis, populi salutis ante vestram cupidi. Ergo devotis lumen nituit, nec est quod illud obscuraverit; quo quam contenti nunc recumbitis postremis responsuri lituis! Meridiana fuit olim nox, ubi est audita in colle magna vox: tum, corpus quale nostra corpora, eadem Christus ibat hac via. Nec nunc minus Crux ea firma stat stellaeque noctem more illuminat, unde ille Victor, ut per nebulas videns, beat minores Golgothas. Hunc hi secuti pone dominum mactatum morte Dei Filium, Ut vicit hic, victores sunt et hi, qui gustaverunt eius poculi. Nostrorum Christe mortuorum dux et pastor, hos redemit tua Crux, quos, ut dolendos grande sic decus, cum spe tuendos tibi tradimus. |