Nativity Hymn 9: The Child Who Makes Everyone Glad

Come, rest and be still in your mother’s bosom, Son of the Glorious One. Being too forward does not suit the sons of kings. Son of David, you are glorious, and yet you are the son of Mary, you who hide your beauty in the inner room.

Whom are you like, glad Baby, lovely little one, whose mother is a virgin, whose Father is hidden, whom even the seraphim cannot look upon? Tell us whom you are like, Son of the Gracious One! [a]

When the angry came to see you, you made them glad, and they exchanged smiles with one another. The angry were made gentle in you, sweet One. Blessed are you, little one, for in you even the bitter are made sweet.

Who ever saw a baby who, while in someone’s arms, was glad toward those who came near him, and see, stretched himself out toward those who were far off? What a lovely sight, a child who takes thought for everyone, so that they may see him!

The one who had a care came and saw you, and his care fled away. The one who had worries forgot his worries at the sight of you. The hungry man forgot his food because of you. And the one who had an errand wandered from it because of you and forgot his journey!

Oh, be still, and let people go to their work! You are a son of the poor; learn from yourself that all the poor had to leave their work to come. You who love people have bound people together by your gladness.

David, that stately king, took branches, and at the feast, as he danced among the children, he gave praise. Is it not the love of David your father that is warm in you? [b]

That daughter of Saul! Her father’s demon spoke in her. She called the stately king a worthless fellow, because he gave the elders of her people an example of taking up branches with the children on the day of praise to you.

Who would not be afraid to charge you with being too forward? For see, the daughter of Saul, who mocked the child, cut her womb off from bearing children. Because her mouth mocked, the reward of that mouth was barrenness. [c]

Let mouths tremble at blasphemy, or they will be shut! Daughter of Zion, hold back your mouth from him, for he is the Son of David, and he is glad before you. Do not be to him like the daughter of Saul, whose line has died out.

Because Elijah held back the desire of the body, he held back rain from the adulterous. Because he kept his body under control, he held back dew from the sexually immoral, who let their fountains pour out loosely. [d]

Because the hidden fire of bodily lust did not rule in him, the fire from on high obeyed him. And since he subdued the lust of the flesh on earth, he went up to the place where holiness dwells and is at peace.

Elisha too, who deadened his own body, brought the dead to life. The raising of the dead came in the usual course, by a holiness that was not in the usual course. He raised the child, because he had made his own soul pure like a weaned child. [e]

Moses, who parted and separated himself from his wife, parted the sea before the prostitute. Zipporah, though the daughter of a pagan priest, kept herself holy; the daughter of Abraham played the prostitute with a calf. [f]