Come, rest and be still in Your mother's bosom, glorious Son. Boldness does not befit the sons of kings. You are David's Son, the glorious One, and Mary's Son, whose beauty she guarded in the inner chamber.
Refrain: Praise to You, who on this day made everyone rejoice.
To whom are You like, joyful infant, beautiful Child, whose mother is pure and whose Father is hidden—whom even the seraphim cannot see? Tell us whom You resemble, Son of the Merciful One.
Those who came angry to look upon You, You made joyful; their smiles mingled with the smiles of the glad. The hostile became sweet in You, O Sweet One. Who are You, Child, that even the bitter become sweet in You?
Who has ever seen a child longing for those nearby from within the embrace, yet stretching himself toward those far away? What a beautiful sight: a Child murmuring to everyone so that everyone may look upon Him.
Whoever was burdened with care came and saw You, and his care fled. Whoever was troubled saw You and forgot his thought. The hungry forgot both hunger and food in You, and the one sent on an errand was drawn to You and forgot his road.
Be still, and release people to their affairs. You are the Son of the poor: [see] how all the poor left their work and came. Lover of humanity, by Your joy You gathered humanity around You.
David, that glorious king, took branches and at the feast danced among the children as he gave praise. Perhaps the love of David Your father is now burning in You.
That daughter of Saul—her father's demon spoke through her—called the glorious king contemptible. Yet he gave the elders of the people a type: that with the children they should take branches on the day of Your praise.
Who would not fear to accuse You of boldness? Saul's daughter mocked the child, and her womb was cut off from childbirth. Because her mouth derided, barrenness became the wage of her mouth.
Let mouths tremble before blaspheming You, lest they be shut. Guard your mouth from Him, daughter of Zion—from this Son of David who rejoices before you. Do not become like Saul's daughter, whose line came to an end.
God saw the impure people, sexually corrupt yet fiercely jealous, and how oppressively they acted. He had compassion on the women, and for our sake multiplied His provisions among the oppressors.
If a woman's partner hated her, he was to write and release her; if he accused her, the waters were to test her; if he violated her, a veil was given. Every oppression was put to shame before the image of Mary, who remained sealed.
Moses had already exposed how oppressive they were: with the signs of virginity brought before their men, women could be accused and killed. How much more, then, did they wrong the Mother of the Son?
By waters, by tests, and by veils Moses instructed them. Yet when the Lord of wombs came, they wronged the womb in which pure virginity dwelt, though her conception itself should have persuaded them concerning Him.
So if a man's wife was delivered from the sword when the signs of virginity came forth for her, those signs saved her. Guard them and be guarded, wise women: it is a weapon which, if it fails, turns and fights against its owner.
Elijah subdued the desire of his body and withheld rain from adulterers. Because he kept his body pure, he withheld dew from the sexually immoral, who had let their fountains run loose.
Because the hidden fire of bodily desire did not rule him, the fire from on high obeyed him. Since he conquered fleshly desire on earth, he ascended to the place where holiness dwells in peace.
Elisha too, who put his own body to death, raised the dead. Mortality was given life: by a holiness beyond ordinary nature he restored the child, after humbling himself like one who was weaned.
Moses, who parted and separated himself from his wife, divided the sea before the adulteress. Zipporah preserved holiness though she was a priest's daughter; yet the daughter of Abraham committed fornication with the calf.