tr., John Brownlie 8.8.8.8

Kurie ho Theos hemon, hou to kratos aneikaston,

kai he doxa akataleptos, hou to eleos ametreton, kai he philanthropia aphatos·

I

Our highest thought of God is vain;

Whate'er of knowledge we may know,

Our darkened minds but darker grow,

We ne'er can to the light attain.

II

Beyond the mountain tops that rise,

Still higher altitudes appear;

Climb as we may, we come not near

The peaks that pierce the azure skies.

III

Beyond the farthest stretch of mind,

The wisdom of our God extends;

We touch the love that never ends,

And only know that it is kind.

IV

We cannot gaze upon the sun,

Save through the mists from earth that rise;

God's glory only meets our eyes

When veiled in the Incarnate One.

V

Yea, none but God His love can know,

Nor can The Christ that love express;

The gift is ever something less,

Than is the love the gift would show.

VI

Our minds, our hearts, our spirits fail

In all our searching God to find;

We only know that He is kind,

And nought that knowledge can assail.

VII

No soul can rise to God, alone,

The height divine we cannot reach;

Do Thou, O Christ, our blindness teach,

Until we know as we are known.