Saturday Office of Readings Even Week diurno

mp3
The Trinity our love, desire and joy

Deus de nullo véniens,
God coming from nothing,
Deus de Deo pródiens,
God proceeding from God,
Deus ab his progrédiens,
God going forth from these
in nos veni subvéniens.
come among us, rescuing.

2. Tu nostrum desidérium,
Be Thou our desire,
tu sis amor et gáudium;
be Thou our love and delight;
in te nostra cupíditas
May our passion be for Thee
et sit in te iucúnditas.
and may our happiness be in Thee.

3. Pater, cunctórum Dómine,
Father, Lord of all,
cum Génito de Vírgine,
together with He-who-was-begotten-of-a-virgin,
intus et in circúitu
within and all around
nos rege Sancto Spíritu.
direct us by the Holy Spirit.

4. Meménto, sancta Trinitas,
Remember, Holy Trinity,
quod tua fecit bónitas,
what Thy goodness has done,
créando prius hóminem,
first creating man,
recreándo per sánguinem.
then restoring him through Thy blood.

5. Nam quo creávit Unitas,
For that which Unity has created,
redémit Christi cáritas;
the charity of Christ has redeemed;
patiéndo tunc díligens,
may the One who suffered then in His love,
nunc díligat nos éligens.
now love us as His chosen.

6. Tríadi sanctæ gáudium,
To the Holy Triad be joy,
pax, virtus et impérium,
peace, strength and authority,
decus, omnipoténtia,
glory, almighty power,
laus, honor, reveréntia. Amen.
praise, honor, reverence.

The author of this (at least) 14th century hymn is unknown.

One verse was omitted in this hymn, for brevity, but also because Fr. Lentini thought it "plays too much with the words and the alliterations, and it preempts the 5th verse." I'll let you decide:

Regendo clemens corrige
By merciful rule correct us
et corrigendo dirige,
and by correcting direct us
diligendo nos eligas
by holding us dear choose us
et cum electis colligas
and with the chosen unite us

[Yeah, I kinda it was OK to omit that verse...]

Saturday Office of Readings Odd Week diurno

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Final invocation of help

Auctor perénnis glóriæ,
Founder of perennial glory,
qui septifórmis grátiæ
who with seven-fold graces
das Spíritum credéntibus,
Thou dost give the Spirit to believers,
assíste mitis ómnibus.
defend us all with mercy.

Expélle morbos córporum,
Expel the diseases of our bodies,
mentis repélle scándalum,
drive away the stumbling block from our minds,
exscínde vires críminum,
destroy the power of sin,
fuga dolóres córdium.
put to flight the anguish of our hearts.

Serénas mentes éffice,
Produce tranquil minds,
opus honéstum pérfice,
accomplish the upright work,
preces orántum áccipe,
accept our beseeching prayers,
vitam perénnem tríbue.
grant us life eternal.

Septem diérum cúrsibus
Running over the course of seven days
nunc tempus omne dúcitur
all time is now led
octávus ille últimus
that eighth and last one
dies erit iudícii.
will be the day of judgement.

In quo, Redémptor quæsumus,
In view of this, O Redeemer we beg,
ne nos in ira árguas,
lest Thou convict us in Thy wrath,
sed a sinístra libera,
rather absolve us from your left,
ad déxteram nos cólloca,
and position us at your right.

Ut, cum preces suscéperis
So that when Thou receivest the prayers
clemens tuárum plébium,
of Thy people with mercy,
reddámus omnes glóriam
may all of us return the glory
trino Deo per sæcula. Amen.
to our Triune God forever.

The author of this hymn is unknown, and the century of its composition uncertain.

Saturday Office of Readings Even Week noctu

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The light that has no more darkness

Lux ætérna, lumen potens,
Light eternal, Lamp most brilliant,
dies indefíciens,
Day unfailing,
bellátor atræ noctis,
Warrior against the deadly night,
reparátor lúminis,
Renewer of the light,
destructórque tenebrárum,
and the Destroyer of shadows,
illustrátor méntium:
the One who enlightens minds:

2. Quo nascénte suscitámur,
When You come forth we are awakened,
quo vocánte súrgimus;
when You call, we rise;
faciénte quo beáti,
when You act we are blessed,
quo linquénte míseri;
when You depart we are wretched;
quo a morte liberáti,
by You we are freed from death,
quo sumus perlúcidi;
by You we are filled with light;

3. Mortis quo victóres facti,
By you we are made triumphant over death,
nocti atque sáeculi;
over night, and over this age;
ergo nobis, rex ætérne,
therefore to us, O King eternal,
lucem illam tríbue,
bestow that light,
quæ fuscátur nulla nocte,
which darkens no night,
solo gaudens lúmine.
buy only makes glad by light.

4. Honor Patri sit ac tibi
Sancto sit Spirítui,
Deo trino sed et uni,
paci, vitæ, lúmini,
nómini præ cunctis dulci
divinóque númini. Amen.

This hymn, which is the second part of yesterday's hymn is by Gottschalk of Orbais, who died in 869. The doxology (last verse) is the same as yesterday's hymn.

Saturday Office of Readings Odd Week noctu

No mp3 (yet) today. But if you wish to sing it, use the same tune as yesterday's hymn. Update: here is the mp3.

Summae Deus cleméntiae
God of greatest compassion
mundíque factor máchinae,
Maker of the whole scheme of the universe,
qui trinus almo númine
who, nurturing triune Deity
unúsque fírmas ómnia,
is also One, Thou establish all things,

Great God of boundless mercy hear;
Thou Ruler of this earthly sphere;
in substance one, in Persons three,
dread Trinity in Unity!

2. Nostros piis cum cánticis
Our holy songs with
fletus benígne súscipe,
tears graciously accept,
quo corde puro sórdibus
that with a heart clean of sin
te perfruámur lárgius.
we may enjoy Thee more abundantly.

2. Do Thou in love accept our lays
of mingled penitence and praise;
and set our hearts from error free,
more fully to rejoice in Thee.

3. Lumbos adúre cóngruis
Burn our loins with suitable (holy)
tu caritátis ígnibus,
flames of Thy charity
accíncti ut adsint pérpetim
that they may be continually girded
tuísque prompti advéntibus,
and ready for Thy appearance,

3. Our reins and hearts in pity heal,
and with Thy chastening fire anneal;
gird Thou our loins, each passion quell,
and every harmful lust expel.

4. Ut, quique horas nóctium
That, whatever hours of the night
nunc concinéndo rúmpimus,
we now interrupt with our singing
donis beátæ pátriæ
by gifts of the blessed fatherland
ditémur omnes áffatim.
may we all be amply enriched.

4. Now as our anthems, upward borne,
awake the silence of the morn,
enrich us with Thy gifts of grace,
from heaven, Thy blissful dwelling place!

5. Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Patríque compar Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne saéculum. Amen.

5. Hear Thou our prayer, Almighty King;
hear Thou our praises, while we sing,
adoring with the heavenly host
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Author of this 7th century hymn is unknown. English translation by John David Chambers (1805-1893).

Lentini's "title": Purification of the spirit

At the beginning of verse 2, Lentini modified the original word pius to become piis. "...a concept that would recur with the following benigne; therefore I prefer the reading of the Carmelite Breviary (Breviarium Fratrum... de Monte Carmelo, 1938), which attatches the piis to the cánticis, with the sense modified." In other words, it is simpler to figure out what pius means if you change it to piis, and since there is a precedent for this reading printed in a well-known Breviary, let's change it!

Britt, working with pius, goes through much explanation of how you have to supply Parens or Deus. This is much more complicated to interpret.

Verse 4 has been much changed. I have two different former versions, one from Britt...

Lumbos, iecurque morbidum
Our reins and our depraved hearts
Flammis adure congruis,
burn Thou with becoming (holy) flames,
Accincti ut artus excubent
that our well-girded limbs may watch
Luxu remoto pessimo.
far-removed from baneful luxury.

...and one from Lentini:

Lumbos iecurque morbidum
Our diseased loins(seat of sexuality) and liver(seat of feelings)
adure igni congruo,
burn Thou with becoming fire,
accincti ut sint perpetim
that they(our loins) be girded continually
luxu remoto pessimo
removed from the worst excesses

Lentini says that these are "terms and concepts that today annoy or clash (urtano) in a liturgical hymn." Wow. Is he saying that this kind of earthy language is not fit for polite company? That hymns which make reference to reining in our sexual impulses with the help of the Holy Spirit's fire of holiness are too jarring for mixed congregations? Perhaps he is right. But I think I prefer the prayer of the older Latin hymn. I think Lentini's "solution" is very Scriptural (using images from Holy Scripture, especially the gospel passages about girding our loins) but omits the part about leaving behind luxu pessimo (the worst excesses.)

What do you think?

Saturday Lauds Even Week

Diéi luce réddita,
Day's light having been restored
lætis gratísque vócibus
and by glad thanks of our voices
Dei canámus glóriam,
let us sing the glory of God
Christi faténtes grátiam.
confessing the grace of Christ.


2. Per quem creátor ómnium
During which the creator of all things
diem noctémque cóndidit,
day and night has made
ætérna lege sánciens
having sanctioned by eternal law
ut semper succédant sibi.
that they would always follow each other.

3. Tu vera lux fidélium,
You are the true light of faith
quem lex vetérna non tenet,
which the long-established law does not hold
noctis nec ortu súccidens,
nor undercutting the night by rising
ætérno fulgens lúmine.
the light forever shining.

4. Præsta, Pater ingénite,
Grant, Father engendered(?)
totum ducámus iúgiter
that we may lead continually all
Christo placéntes hunc diem
pleasing to Christ this day
Sancto repléti Spíritu. Amen.
filled with the Holy Spirit.

Big party today. Didn't have time to make much sense of this. I may come back to it....

Saturday Lauds Odd Week

Auróra iam spargit polum:
The dawn now sprinkles the sky
terris dies illábitur:
the day flows over the earth
lucis resúltat spículum:
the rays of light mount on high
discédat omne lúbricum.
Let all deceit depart

THE DAWN is sprinkling in the east
its golden shower, as day flows in;
fast mount the pointed shafts of light:
farewell to darkness and to sin!

Iam vana noctis décidant,
Now let the vain things of night pass away
mentis reátus súbruat,
let guilt of soul depart
quicquid tenébris hórridum
whatever frightful thing of darkness
nox áttulit culpae, cadat,
the night has brought of guilt, let it fall,


Away, ye midnight phantoms all!
Away, despondence and despair!
Whatever guilt the night has brought
now let it vanish into air.

Ut mane illud últimum
So that on that last morning
quod praestolámur cérnui,
which we await bowing
in lucem nobis éffluat,
in light to us may it flow
dum hoc canóre cóncrepat.
while this song sounds on.

So, Lord, when that last morning breaks,
looking to which we sigh and pray,
O may it to Thy minstrels prove
the dawning of a better day.

Deo Patri sit glória,
eiúsque soli Fílio,
cum Spíritu Paráclito,
in sempitérna saécula. Amen.

To God the Father glory be,
and to His sole-begotten Son;
Glory, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,
while everlasting ages run. Amen.

Attributed to St. Ambrose (350-397).
Translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878).

I like this metric translation today. Once again, St. Ambrose of Milan probably did not write this hymn, it is just written in his style (see yesterday's post.)

Fr. Britt, on page 72 of his book on Hymns of the Breviary, has the following analysis of the third stanza:

"That on that last morning, together with the light, that which we here humbly
pray for, and what accords with our song, may issue forth (come) to us."
Constr.: Ut cum luce (æterna) mane (illud) untimum nobis effluat, quod nos
hic, dum hoc canore concrepat, deprecamur ceruni. THis stanza is very
obscure. It seems to contain a reference to the present morning, and to the last
morning--at the end of time. In this sense it might be rendered: "While the
present morning resounds with song (canore), we here with profound
humility beg (deprecamur cernui) that the last morning may also dawn
(effluat) for us with light eternal." Abp. Bagshawe translates mane
ultimum as referring to Saturday--"On this morn of the week the last." The
following is from an anonymous translation in the Hymnal Noted:

So that last morning dread and great,
Which we with trembling hope await,
With blessed light for us shall glow,
Who chant the song we sang below.