Ecce magi ab Oriente venerunt Jerosolymam, Dicentes, Ubi est Qui natus est Rex Judaeorum? Vidimus nim stellam Ejus in Oriente, et veni mus adorare Eum.
It is not commended to stand gazing up to heav'n too long; not on Christ Himself ascending, much less on His star. ah For they sat not still gazing on the star. Their vidimus begat venimus. Their seeing made them come, come a great journey. Many a wide and weary step they made. Consider, we consider the distance, the distance of their coming, the place they came from. It was not hard by as the shepherds, but a step to Bethlehem over the fields; this was riding many a hundred miles, and cost many a day's journey.
2. Consider the way that they came
Secondly, consider the way that they came, this was nothing ple sant, for through deserts, all the way waste and desolate. Nor easy neither;
over the rocks and crags,
rocks and crags of both Arabias,
especially Petra, their journey lay.
Safe it was not, but exceeding dangerous,
lying through the midst of the black tents of Kedar, a nation of thieves and cutthroats; to pass over the hills of robbers, infamous then, and infamous to this day. No passing without great troop or convoy.
3. Consider the time of their coming
Lastly we consider the time of their coming,
the season of the year.
It was no summer progress.
A cold, cold coming they had of it
at this time of the year,
just the worst time of the year to take a journey,
and specially a long journey.
specially a long journey.
The ways deep, the weather sharp, the days short, the sun farthest off, in solsittio brumali, the very dead of winter.
Venimus, we are come, if that be one, venimus, we are now come, come at this time, that sure is another.
And these difficulties they overcame, of a wearisome, irksome, troublesome, dangerous unseas'nable journey, journey.
We are come.
Lancelot Andrewes, adapted by the composer.