TEXT
Translation by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker

PART I

1. Introduction
The Representation of Chaos (Orchestra)

2. Recitative
Raphael (Bass)
In the beginning, God made Heaven and Earth; 
and the Earth was without form and void; 
and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

Chorus
In the spirit, God moved upon the face of the water; 
and God said: Let there be light. And there was light.

Recitative: Uriel (Tenor) 
And God saw the light, that it was good; 
and God divided the light from the darkness.

3. Aria with Chorus
Uriel 
Now vanished by the holy beams 
the ancient, ghostly, shuddering darkness; 
the First of Days appears. 
Confusion yields, and order shines most fair. 
Aghast, the fiends of hell confounded fly; 
down they sink in the deep abyss to endless night.

Chorus 
Convulsion, rage and terror 
engulf their monstrous fall. 
A new created world springs forth 
at God’s command.

4. Recitative
Raphael
And God made the firmament, 
and divided the waters which were under the firmament 
from the waters which were above the firmament; 
and it was so.

Then howling raged the blast of the tempest. 
The clouds then were driven like chaff in the wind, 
the lightnings slashed the heavens asunder, 
and crashing thunder resounded on high. 
From waters rose at his command the all-refreshing rain, the devastating hail, the light and flaky snow.

5. Solo and Chorus
Gabriel (Soprano) 
What wonder doth his work reveal 
to heaven’s host in joyful throng, 
and loud resounds throughout the skies 
the praise of God and of the Second Day.

Chorus 
And loud resounds throughout the skies 
the praise of God and of the Second Day.

6. Recitative
Raphael
And God said: Let the waters under the heaven 
be gathered together to one place, 
and let the dry land appear; and it was so. 
And God called the dry land Earth, 
and the gathering of the waters called he the seas; 
and God saw that it was good.

7. Aria
Raphael 
Rolling in foaming billows, 
tumultuous swells the raging sea. 
Highland and headland uplifted 
through clouds their towering summits rise. 
Through broad and ample plains 
full flows the gathering stream and winding wanders. 
Lightly murmuring, gently glides 
through silent glade the crystal brook.

8. Recitative
Gabriel 
And God said: Let all the earth bring forth grass, 
the herb yielding seed, 
and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, 
whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; 
and it was so.

9. Aria
Gabriel
Now robed in cool refreshing green, 
the fields their new enchantment wear; 
and more to charm the sight 
arise the flowers in bright array.
Here herbs of every leaf abound; 
here dwells a healing grace.

The burdened boughs their golden fruit afford; 
here arbors spread their vaulted, restful shade,
and lofty hills are crowned with kingly groves

10. Recitative
Uriel 
And the heavenly host proclaimed 
the Third Day, 
praising God and saying:

11. Chorus
Awake the harp; ye choirs awaken. 
Loud let the praise of God be sounded. 
Rejoice in the Lord, the mighty God.

Surely the heavens and earth 
has he girded with splendor and light.

12. Recitative
Uriel 
And God said: 
Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven 
to divide the day from the night, 
to give their light upon the earth,
and let them be for signs and for seasons, 
and for days and for years. 
He made the stars also.

13. Recitative
Uriel 
In shining splendor, radiant now the sun bestrides the sky; 
a wondrous, joyful bridegroom, 
a giant proud and glad, he runs his ordered course.

With softer steps and wistful shimmer 
steals the moon through still enshadowed night.

The boundless vaults of heaven’s domain 
shine with unnumbered magnitude of stars. 
And the sons of God rejoiced in the Fourth Day 
in chorus divine, praising God’s great might, and saying:

14. Chorus with Trio
Chorus 
The heavens are telling the glory of God; 
with wonders of his work resounds the firmament.

Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael 
Revealed are his ways by day unto day, 
by night that is gone to following night.

Chorus 
The heavens are telling the glory of God; 
with wonders of his work resounds the firmament.

Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael 
In every land abounds the word. 
Every ear will hearken; never tongue be dumb.

Chorus 
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
with wonders of his work resounds the firmament.