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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 298

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning

Music: Johann C. W. A. MozartTune: Hanover11s & 10s

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1Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

2Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining,
Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore him, in slumber reclining,
Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all.

3Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and offering divine?
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?

4Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would his favor secure;
Richer by far is the heart's adoration,
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
11.10.11.10 · as printed
Foot
dactylic (DUM-da-da) · 91% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB

Could also be sung to Come, ye disconsolate · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘11A
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;/˘˘/˘˘/˘//10B
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘11A
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.//˘/˘˘/˘˘/10B

Verse 2

Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining,/˘˘/˘˘??˘/˘11A
Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;//˘/˘˘/˘˘/10B
Angels adore him, in slumber reclining,/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘11A
Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all./˘˘//˘/˘˘/10B

Verse 3

Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘11A
Odors of Edom and offering divine?/˘˘??˘/˘˘/10B
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘11A
Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/10B

Verse 4

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,/˘˘/˘//˘???11A
Vainly with gifts would his favor secure;/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/10B
Richer by far is the heart's adoration,/˘˘/˘˘//˘/˘11C
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor./˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/10B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.