TENTH ANTIPHONE

In our sorrow we said to the night,

Fall down and cover us;

To the darkness at left and at right,

Be thou shed over us;

We had breaking of spirit to mother

And cursing to bride;

And one was slain, and another

Stood up at our side.

We could not arise by day,

Nor lie down by night;

Thy sword was sharp in our way,

Thy word in our sight;

The delight of our eyelids was made

As the burning of fire;

And our souls became sorely afraid

For our soul's desire.

We whom the world loved well,

Laying silver and gold on us,

The kingdom of death and of hell

Riseth up to take hold on us;

Our gold is turned to a token,

Our staff to a rod;

Yet shalt thou bind them up that were broken,

O Lord our God.