Let all mortal flesh keep silent

[MariaRegina]

Does any one have the words to this Orthodox Hymn which we sing on Holy Saturday morning at the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil?

[Melethiel]

I know the version that's in my hymnal...I wonder if it's the same? It's really pretty.

[MariaRegina]

I think this is the hymn that we Orthodox Christians sing.

Maybe other Christians have borrowed it.
The melody is very similar to what I have heard sung in Protestant Churches.

This is what I remember from memory.

Let all mortal flesh keep silent.
And in fear and trembling stand.
Ponder nothing earthly minded
For behold the King and Lord of Lords
Comes as food for us today.

[Melethiel]

Here's what's in my hymnal. Let me know if it's the same. :) The notes in my hymnal say it's from the Liturgy of St. James.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence
And with fear and trembling stand
Ponder nothing earthly minded
For with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth
Our full homage to demand

King of kings, yet born of Mary
As of old on earth he stood
Lord of lords in human vesture
In the body and the blood
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way
As the Light of light, descending
From the realms of endless day
Comes, the pow'rs of hell to vanquish
As the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph
Cherubim with sleepless eye
Veil their faces to the presence
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

[MariaRegina]

Was this hymn in your Protestant Hymnal?

I also remember seeing it in my Catholic Hymnal?

So, this is an Orthodox Hymn that we have been singing all along.

[Melethiel]

Was this hymn in your Protestant Hymnal?

I also remember seeing it in my Catholic Hymnal?

So, this is an Orthodox Hymn that we have been singing all along.
That's the version in my Lutheran hymnal. The Baptist Hymnal also has it, but they left out the verse about the Body and the Blood...

[Andrea Elizabeth]

Thanks for sharing the roots of that song. We sang it at St. Michael's Skete in NM the other week, and I thought they were incorporating a western hymn. I don't think we sing it on Holy Saturday at our church, though.

[The Prokeimenon!]

It was written by St. James, Brother of God, and is from his Liturgy. The version Melethiel posted is Anglican, I think, and pretty much the same as the Orthodox version, except I believe the 3rd verse is an addition (though, considering we chant it on Holy Saturday, it's very appropriate) and the literal Orthodox translation doesn't quite rhyme quite so well. ;)

The melody from the Anglican version is pretty close to Byzantine Tone 5 (plagal 1) which is what tone it's chanted in. We use this version at my parish. It's one of the (many) highlights of the Liturgical year!

The first and second verses are chanted before the Great Entrance at Liturgy, the Entrance is then made in complete silence, after which the last verse is chanted.

Rdr Moses

[The Prokeimenon!]

Here's the original:

Αντί δέ τού Χερουβικού, ψάλλομεν τό παρόν.



Τροπάριον Ήχος πλ. α'

Σιγησάτω πάσα σάρξ βροτεία, καί στήτω μετά φόβου καί τρόμου, καί μηδέν γήϊνον εν εαυτή λογιζέσθω, ο γάρ Βασιλευς τών βασιλευόντων, καί Κύριος τών κυριευόντων, προσέρχεται σφαγιασθήναι, καί δοθήναι εις βρώσιν τοίς πιστοίς, προηγούνται δέ τούτου, οι χοροί τών Αγγέλων, μετά πάσης αρχής καί εξουσίας, τά πολυόμματα Χερουβίμ, καί τά εξαπτέρυγα Σεραφίμ, τάς όψεις καλύπτοντα, καί βοώντα τόν ύμνον. Αλληλούϊα, Αλληλούϊα, Αλληλούϊα.

[ClementofRome]

Thank you Moses....what a wealth of information.

[MariaRegina]

Here's the original:

Do you just happen to have the translation in English?

[Andrea Elizabeth]

It was written by St. James, Brother of God, and is from his Liturgy. The version Melethiel posted is Anglican, I think, and pretty much the same as the Orthodox version, except I believe the 3rd verse is an addition (though, considering we chant it on Holy Saturday, it's very appropriate) and the literal Orthodox translation doesn't quite rhyme quite so well. ;)

The melody from the Anglican version is pretty close to Byzantine Tone 5 (plagal 1) which is what tone it's chanted in. We use this version at my parish. It's one of the (many) highlights of the Liturgical year!

The first and second verses are chanted before the Great Entrance at Liturgy, the Entrance is then made in complete silence, after which the last verse is chanted.

Rdr Moses

Oh, maybe the reason I didn't recognize it was because it was chanted. I'll listen for it next year.

But the Anglican melody is so beautiful. Singing it at the Skete with the monks was even better.

[The Prokeimenon!]

Do you just happen to have the translation in English?

Here's Archimandrite Ephrem's translation:

Instead of the Cherubic Hymn we sing the following in Tone 5:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and stand with fear and trembling, and take no thought for any earthly thing; for the King of kings and Lord of lords comes to be slain and given as food for the faithful.

Here the Great Entrance takes place.

Before him go the choirs of Angels, with every Principality and Power; the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim covering their faces and crying out the hymn: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Rdr Moses

[Llauralin]

I love that song! It's just about my favorite hymn of its sort. I recall its melody being French, though, rather than Anglican.

[Melethiel]

I love that song! It's just about my favorite hymn of its sort. I recall its melody being French, though, rather than Anglican.
Same here...the notes in my hymnal say it's a French melody. *makes a note to find an Anglican hymnal and see if it's different*

[Andrea Elizabeth]

Same here...the notes in my hymnal say it's a French melody. *makes a note to find an Anglican hymnal and see if it's different*

Merci for the clarificationne.

[Andrea Elizabeth]

And happy namesday, Reader Moses!

I'm so happy for you and LK. Your babies are beautiful. And congrats on the job!

[The Prokeimenon!]

And happy namesday, Reader Moses!

I'm so happy for you and LK. Your babies are beautiful. And congrats on the job!


Thanks!

Sorry about the French vs. Anglican thing- Now that you mention it, the one I'm thinking of does say "French" somewhere at the top of the music.

Rdr Moses

[MariaRegina]

Same here...the notes in my hymnal say it's a French melody. *makes a note to find an Anglican hymnal and see if it's different*

Don't forget that the Lebanese colonized Normandie and brought with them the Melkite and Maronite faiths (pre-schism).

So the Lebanese would know the Byzantine tones.

The Lebanese also traveled to Ireland, and that is where the term "Black Irish" comes from, because of our dark-brown black hair and fair Irish skin that burns so easily.

I am Black Irish (Lebanese) from my mom's side and French Lebanese (my dad was tall, dark, and handsome) from my dad's side.