It was the ve­ry noon of night,
The stars above the fold,
More sure than clock or chim­ing bell,
The hour of mid­night told;
When from the hea­vens there came a voice,
And forms were seen to shine,
Still bright­en­ing as the mu­sic rose
With light and love di­vine.
With love di­vine the song began;
There shone a light se­rene:
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen?
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen!

Oh, ne’er could night­ing­ale at dawn
Salute the ris­ing day
With sweet­ness like that bird of song
In his im­mor­tal lay;
Oh, ne’er were wood-notes heard at eve
By banks with pop­lar shade
So thrill­ing as the con­cert sweet
By heav’n­ly harp­ings made;
For love di­vine was in each chord,
And filled each pause be­tween:
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen?
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen!

I roused me at the pierc­ing strain,
But shrunk as from the ray
Of sum­mer lightn­ing; all around
So bright the splen­dor lay.
For oh, it mas­tered sight and sense,
To see that glo­ry shine,
To hear that min­strel in the clouds,
Who sang of love di­vine,
To see that form with bird-like wings,
Of more than mor­tal mien;
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen?
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen!

When once the hap­py trance was past,
That so my sense did bind,
I left my sheep to Him whose care
Was in the west­ern wind;
I left them, for in­stead of snow,
I trod on blade and flow­er,
And ice dis­solved in star­ry rays
At morn­ing’s gra­cious hour,
Revealing where on earth the steps
Of love di­vine had been:
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen?
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen!

I hast­ed to a low-roofed shed,
For so the an­gel bade;
And bowed be­fore the low­ly rack
Where love di­vine was laid:
A new­born babe, like ten­der lamb,
With li­on’s strength there smiled,
For li­on’s strength, im­mor­tal might,
Was in that new­born Child;
That love di­vine in child­like form
Had God for­ev­er been:
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen?
Oh, who hath heard what I have heard
Or seen what I have seen!