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Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos
anonymous tr., 1919
Chapter 2
Priest. An Angel, and the chiefest among them, was sent from Heaven to cry: Hail! to the Mother of God (thrice). And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he stood marvelling, and with his bodiless voice cried aloud to her saying:
Hail, thou, through whom joy shall shine forth; hail, thou through whom the curse shall be blotted out.
Hail, thou, the Restoration of the fallen Adam; hail, thou, the Redemption of the tears of Eve.
Hail, Height, hard to climb, for human minds; hail, Depth, hard to explore, even for the eyes of angels.
Hail, thou that art the Throne of a King; hail, thou that sustainest the Sustainer of all.
Hail, Star that causest the Sun to appear; hail, Womb of the divine Incarnating.
Hail, thou through whom Creation is renewed; hail, thou through whom the Creator becomes a babe.
Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Choir. Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Priest. Boldly and without fear the holy maiden spake to Gabriel, knowing her own chastity: To my soul thy strange message is hard to believe; how speakest thou of a virgin and stainless conception? crying aloud: Alleluia.
Choir. Alleluia.
Priest. Craving to know unknown knowledge, the pure Maiden cried to him who ministered unto her: From a virgin body how is it possible for a Son to be born? Tell thou me. Then spake he to her in fear, crying aloud only:
Hail, thou initiate of the ineffable counsel; hail, surety of those who beseech thee in silence.
Hail, beginner of the miracles of Christ; hail, completer of His ordinances.
Hail, heavenly Ladder by which God came down; hail, Bridge leading from earth to heaven.
Hail, thou great marvel and wonder of Angels; hail, thou great cause of wailing in Demons.
Hail, thou who ineffably gavest birth to the Light; hail, thou who withheldest the divine secret from all.
Hail, thou who oversoarest the knowledge of the wise; hail, thou who givest light to the understanding of the faithful.
Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Choir. Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Priest. Divine power for her conceiving then overshadowed her who knew not wedlock, and showed her fruitful womb as a fertile field to all those who desire to reap their salvation, as they sing: Alleluia.
Choir. Alleluia.
Priest. Enshrining God in her womb, the Virgin hastened to Elizabeth, whose unborn babe at once recognised the Salutation of the Mother of God, and rejoiced and as it were leapt and sung and cried to her:
Hail, Branch of unfading growth; hail, Wealth of unmingled fruit.
Hail, thou who labourest for Him, whose labour is love; hail, thou who tendest Him who tendeth our Life.
Hail, Corn-land growing fertility of mercies; hail, Table sustaining abundance of oblations.
Hail, thou who revivest the green fields of joy; hail, thou who preparest a haven for souls.
Hail, acceptable Incense of intercession; hail, Oblation for all the world.
Hail, Favour of God to mortals; hail, Access of mortals to God.
Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Choir. Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Priest. Floods of doubtful thoughts troubled the wise Joseph within, when he saw thee, O blameless and unwedded Maiden, and he feared for thee; but when he learnt of thy conception through the Holy Ghost, he cried: Alleluia.
Choir. Alleluia.