Saint Nicolas, Op 42: His Piety and Marvellous Works
CHORUS
For forty years our Nicolas
our prince of men, our shepherd
and our gentle guide walked by our side.
We turned to him at birth and death
in time of famine and distress
in all our grief to bring relief.
He led us from the valleys
to the pleasant hills of grace
He fought to fold us in from mortal sin
O! He was prodigal of love!
A spendthrift in devotion to us all
and blessed as he caressed
We keep his memory alive
in legends that our children
and their children's children treasure still.
SMALL CHOIRS
A captive at the heathen court
wept sorely all alone
O Nicolas is here, my son!
And he will bring you home!
Fill, fill my sack with corn! he said
We die from lack of food!
And from that single sack he fed
a hungry multitude.
Three daughters of a nobleman
were doomed to shameful sin
till our good Bishop ransomed them
by throwing purses in.
The gates were barred, the black flag flew
three men knelt by the block
But Nicolas burst in like flame
and stayed the axe's shock.
O help us, good Nicolas!
Our ship is full of foam!
He walked across the waves to them
and led them safely home.
He sat among the bishops
who were summoned to Nicaea:
then rising with the wrath of God
boxed Arius's ear!
He threatened Constantine the Great
with bell and book and ban:
till Constantine confessed his sins
like any common man.
Let the legends that we tell
praise him, with our prayers as well.
CHORUS
We keep his memory alive
in legends that our children
and their children's children treasure still.
Autor(es): Benjamin Britten