Poems (Eckley)/Hymn of St. Zavier

by Sophia May Eckley

PARAPHRASES.

HYMN OF ST. ZAVIER.

DEUS! ego amo Te,
Nec amo Te, ut salves me,
Aut quia non amantes Te
Eterno punis igne.
Tu, Tu, mi Jesu! totum me
Amplexus es in cruce,
Tulisti clavos, lanceam
Multamque ignominiam,
Innumeros Dolores,
Sudores et angores,
Ac mortem—et hec propter me,
Cur igitur non amem Te
O Jesu, amantissime.
Non ut in cœlo salves me,
Aut me æternum damnes me,
Nec premii ullius spe,
Sed sicut Tu amasti me,
Sic amo et amabo Te,
Solum quia Rex meus es,
Et solum quia Deus es.

PARAPHRASE.

GOD! I love Thee,
Not only that Thou savest me,
Nor that because those loving Thee
From endless woe shall rescued be.
Thou, Thou, my Jesu! all for me,—
Did'st bear the Cross on Calvary,
Wert torn by nails, wert pierced by spear,
Numberless griefs my sins to bear;
The bloody sweat and agony,
Anguish and death—and these for me;
Then wherefore may I not love Thee,
O Jesu! who hast thus loved me?
Not to be safe in heaven with Thee,
Nor from dark hell to rescued be,
Not for the hope of some reward,
But simply that Thou lov'st me, Lord;
Thus do I love, and will love Thee,
Only because my King Thou art,
Only because my God Thou art.