Now the world new pleasures finds;
Hastes its votive sweets to pay;
All its wintry shroud unwinds,
Casts grave-clothes and night away.
Wakes to see its Savior rise,
Wakes on earth and in the skies;
Keeps His Paschal holy day.

Nimbly glide the ductile fires;
Rolls the light its tidal joys;
Ocean’s axles smooth their tires;
The world purges all alloys:
Clouds ascend the highest blue,
Weights their lowest depths pursue,
Earth upholds its equipoise.

Heav’n itself, now more serene,
Tempers all its breezes keen;
Brightly smiles the waters’ sheen:
And vales, terraced high in flowers,
All their drought with streamlets flush,
Pearl their dew with sunlight’s gush;
Spring leads on his joyous hours.

Now the prince of all the world
Winter’s icy flag has furled;
Downward all his might is hurled;
The tyrant of all mankind,
When he sought the spotless soul
Of the Savior to control,
Cast his kingdom to the wind.

Life has triumphed over death;
Sinking to the hell beneath,
Man recovers living breath;
And opens his eyes to see
All the joys of paradise;
For the cherub’s flaming sword
Turns but one way—to the Lord.