“The Third Day” (from The Creation)
TEXT
And God Said: Let the Waters Under the Heaven
Raphael
And God said: Let the waters under the heaven
be gathered together unto one place,
and let the dry land appear;
and it was so.
And God called the dry land: earth,
and the gath’ring of waters called he seas;
and God saw that it was good.
Roaming in Foaming Billows
Raphael
Rolling in foaming billows
uplifted roars the boisterous sea.
Mountains and rocks now emerge;
into the clouds their tops ascend.
Through verdant plains, outstretching wide
the rivers flow in serpent error.
Softly purling, glideth on
through silent vales the limpid brook.
And God Said: Let all the Earth Bring Forth Grass
Gabriel
And God said: Let the earth bring forth grass,
the herb yielding seed,
and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind,
whose seed is in itself upon the earth;
and it was so.
With Verdure Clad the Fields Appear
Gabriel
With verdure clad the fields appear
delightful to the ravish’d sense;
by flowers sweet and gay
adorned is the charming sight.
The fragrant herbs give forth their scent,
here shoots the healing plant.
With copious fruit the spreading boughs are hung;
in leafy arches twine the shady groves;
o’er lofty hills majestic forests rise.
And the Heavenly Host the Third Day Proclaimed
Uriel
And the heavenly host the third day proclaimed,
praising God and saying:
Awake the Harp
Chorus
Awake the harp, the lyre awake!
With shouts of joy your voices raise!
In triumph proclaim the might of the Lord!
For all the heav’ns and the earth
has he clothed in glorious attire.
Genesis, Gottfried van Swieten (1733-1803) & Paul McCreesh