They Speak to Me of Princely Tyre

They speak to me of prince­ly Tyre

That old Phoe­ni­cian gem

Great Si­don’s daugh­ter of the north;

But I will speak of Beth­le­hem.

They speak of Rome and Ba­by­lon―

What can com­pare with them?

So let them praise their pride and pomp;

But I will speak of Beth­le­hem.

They praise the hun­dred-gat­ed Thebes

Old Miz­ra­im’s di­adem

The ci­ty of the sand-girt Nile

But I will speak of Beth­le­hem.

They speak of Ath­ens

star of Greece

Th’Acropolis of fame;

Its haunts of wis­dom

art so fair

But I will speak of Beth­le­hem.

Dear town

where Heav’n came down to earth

Where Jes­se’s stem did bloom

Where Ja­cob’s star first shone; of thee

I’ll speak

O hap­py Beth­le­hem!