How fair was thy beauty,
Thou angel of light,
Thou sun of the morning,
Thou day-star so bright—
A covering cherub of angels the head,
In music celestial the angel choir led.
Thy beauty was perfect,
Till marred by sin’s trace.
Thou didst dwell with thy Maker,
And lookedst on His face.
By thy beauty uplifted,
Thou didst fall from thy place,
And plunge into ruin
The whole human race.
Thou didst take by thy wiles
Man’s dominion and power,
And drive him in shame
From his Edenic bower.
Thou beginner of evil,
Thou source of all wo,
Soon wilt thou be vanquished,
To oblivion go.
Then Jesus our Saviour
Will evermore reign,
And will banish all sorrow,
All death, and all pain.