Hide my soul, O God, from evil eyes, when it gives birth to Thy wisdom. Seclude it from among men, in a shepherd's cave. Let no mortal follow it save the shadow of one righteous man. Into the cave of Bethlehem, into a cave of stone, which never blasphemed Thy name — there let my soul, heavy with child, take shelter.
Let innocent lambs and calves keep it company, they who from birth are destined to be food for those more unclean than themselves.
Let the fires of heaven burn quietly above the cave, and with fear let them gaze upon that humble corner of the universe, upon the black earth, and upon the most precious part of that corner — the God-bearing cave.
Let the kings of the earth stand back, and let the philosophizing wranglers of the town not draw near. Humble shepherds of lambs and calves will stand around my cave, and will watch Heaven opening, and will sing with the angels of heaven, when my soul gives birth to my savior. Let all the rest keep far off, who live on momentary saviors and salvations.
Lead, O Lord, by Thy light the wise men of the East, and the prophets, and the saints, to the cave of my soul. That they may bring it the three most precious gifts of Eastern mankind.
The first gift is visionary knowledge of Thee, which surpasses all other knowledge. Let the bearer of that gift cense his precious cargo with the prayers of all the prophets of the East, and of all the altars of the Eastern prophets.
The second gift is visionary expectation of Thy birth in virginal purity: let the bearer of that gift keep the fast the whole way, lest his eye grow dim from the fatness of the earth, and he lose from sight the guiding star.
The third gift is visionary love toward Thee.
Let the bearer of that gift keep vigil over his gift on his journey. That his heart may not stumble upon some earthly beguilement, and come too late to the worship of the newborn.
Truly, one of them all my mind shall follow, and all the consciousness of my mind. Another of them all my heart shall follow, and all the desires of my heart. The third of them my soul shall await, filled with grace and love.
But the sacred travelers will travel cautiously, and will pause along their journey, and will ask the way, and will bring into danger my soul and the firstborn of my soul. Naive as doves, they will ask the way!
But Thou art boundlessly merciful and boundlessly wise. Through fifty centuries Thou layest up precious gifts in the East. And Thou wilt not let the bearers of those gifts fall into the hands of robbers.
From before all eternity Thou preparest the birth of the Son in a maiden's soul. And Thou wilt not permit Him to be killed by Herod, one whom the earth bore and the earth crowned in the Egyptified city of Jerusalem.
Hide my soul, O God, from the many evil eyes.