Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/246

 ===IV ===

O You Creator    of bright constellations,

Of heaven and earth;    You on the high-seat

Eternal reign    and the round heaven

All swiftly move,    and through Your holy might

The lights of heaven    make to hear You,

Even as the sun    scatters darkness

Of the dark night time    through Your strong power,

And with her pale beams    the bright stars

The moon does humble,    through Your might's moving;

At whiles too she robs    the radiant sun

Of his full light,    when it befalls

That they come together    by close compulsion.

So too the glorious    star of morning,

That we by its other name    star of evening

Often hear called,    You constrain

To follow the way    where the sun goes

Every year    he must ever travel,

Fare before him. O Father, You send

Long days in summer    with heat sultry;

To the winter also    wondrous short days

Have You granted. To the trees You give

South-west breezes,    when the black tempest

Sprung from the north-east    had utterly stript them

Of every leaf    with its loathly wind.

Behold, all creatures    in the earth's compass

Obey Your hests;    the same do they in heaven

With mind and main,    save man only;