Sunday 1st Vespers Even Week

Rerum, Deus, fons ómnium,
God, the source of everything that is,
qui, rebus actis ómnibus,
who, the cause of every action
totíus orbis ámbitum
the circle of the complete orbit
censu replésti múnerum.
Thou hast completed with a wealth of gifts

2. Ac, mole tanta cóndita,
And, having built so great a complex,
tandem quiétem díceris
Thou at last declarest a rest
sumpsísse, dans labóribus
to have begun, delivering from toils
ut nos levémur grátius.
that we may be thankfully relieved

3. Concéde nunc mortálibus
Grant now to mortals
deflére vitæ crímina,
weeping over lives of sin,
instáre iam virtútibus
that they may now pursue virtues
et munerári prósperis,
and be given success [in that pursuit]

4. Ut cum treméndi iúdicis
That when awesome judge's
horror suprémus coéperit,
greatest shivering (horror) begins
lætémur omnes ínvicem
may we all rejoice in turn
pacis repléti múnere.
filled with the gift of peace.

5. Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Grant this, most loving Father,
Patríque compar Unice,
and the co-equal Unique Son of the Father
cum Spíritu Paráclito
with the Spirit Paraclete
regnans per omne saéculum.
reigning through every age.

This was a tough hymn to translate. It took me a while, but I believe that I have the sense of the hymn, with the exception of the end of the first stanza. I translated censu as "a wealth". But I'm still not sure.

I sure love to sing the hymn. The melody found in the Solemnes Liber Hymnarius is profound, stately, mysterious and beautiful. Soon I will figure out a way to post sound on this blog.