Religion

O vision bright of heavenly peace

by Anonymous Latin Hymns c. 5th–15th century

Translated by John Brownlie (1896) · From Hymns of the Early Church (1896)

Religion

O vision bright of heavenly peace,
Jerusalem on high,
With living stones Thy walls are built,
All beauteous to the eye;
A high-born bride, the angels stand
Around Thee, an attendant band.

From heaven she cometh down prepared
Her nuptial hour to grace;
With jewels decked she shall be led
To see her Bridegroom's face.
O fair her streets, her bulwarks fair,
For purest gold is everywhere.

Her gates, adorned with glowing pearl,
Stand open day and night,
And hither come the faithful souls,
And enter in His right,
For whom they bore the cruel shame,
That earth has linked to His dear name.

All precious stones and shapely all,
By sore affliction made;
Each in its place the Heavenly King
With His own hand has laid—
Such was the plan, that with the Elect
The walls of Zion should be decked.

✦ ✦ ✦

Latin: Urbs beata Hierusalem (Part I). Brownlie: author unknown; conjectured to be of the sixth or seventh century; much used for church dedications.

MLA

Anonymous Latin Hymns. “O vision bright of heavenly peace.” Translated by John Brownlie. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-latin-hymns/41/.

Chicago

Anonymous Latin Hymns. “O vision bright of heavenly peace.” Translated by John Brownlie. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-latin-hymns/41/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Anonymous Latin Hymns