St. Augustine Lauds and Vespers

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Admirable convert, monk, bishop and doctor

Fulget in cælis célebris sacérdos,
A celebrated priest shines in the heavens,
stella doctórum rútilat corúsca,
the brilliant star of all wise doctors glows red,
lumen intáctum fídei per orbis
scattering the intact light of faith
clímata spargens.
over every clime of the world.

2. Cive tam claro, Sion o supérna,
Of so illustrious a citizen, O heavenly Zion,
læta dic laudes Dómino salútis,
utter joyful praises to the Lord of salvation
qui modis miris sibi vinxit ipsum
who in His wonderful ways bound this saint
lúmine complens.
perfecting him by light.

3. Hic fidem sacram vigil usque firmat,
This vigilant sentry confirms the holy faith at every point,
arma et errórum súbigit poténter,
and powerfully subjugates the weapons of errors,
sórdidos mores lavat et repéllit
washes and repels sordid habits
dógmate claro.
by clear teaching.

4. Qui, gregis Christi speculátor almus,
Nourishing watcher of Christ's flock,
énites clero monachísque forma,
be an outstanding model of cleric and of monk,
tu Dei nobis fáciem benígnam
make favorable the face of God towards us
fac prece semper.
always by your prayer.

5. Laus, honor, virtus Triádi beátæ,
Praise, honor, power to the blessed Triad,
cuius in terris studuísti amánter
whose glory you lovingly desired on earth
alta scrutári nitidáque in astris
on high to examine carefully in the stars
luce potíris. Amen.
the shining light you have received and grasped.

Attributed to the monk Eckbert of Schönau, 12th century.

You might wonder why Augustine's name does not appear. Fr. Lentini explains: "Not finding a hymn proper to St. Augustine of elevated enough tailoring, this hymn has been used, composed in honor of St. Gregory the Great, but well adaptable with some retouch." Some of the retouch that Lentini did was because the meter was not consistent. However, he defends Eckbert: "The author, a demonstrable expert, has certainly intended to compose a metric hymn; perhaps the metric defects are attributable to later hands."

In the first strophe, I previously translated lumen intáctum as "a lamp untouched," which I noticed was different from the translation of the erudite Jesuit Martin O'Keefe, who opts for "light of faith undiminished". One of the meanings of intáctum is "virgin," which we know Augustine most certainly was not, having fathered a child by a relationship previous to his conversion. But intactum modifies lumen "the light" and not sacérdos or stella. I assume we are to marvel at the mystery of a light which is "scattered" but yet remains "intact."

The last two lines of verse 2 were originally:

iubila, terra, meritis protecta
rejoice, O earth, protect by the merit
praesulis almi.
of so kind a patron.

Lentini changed these lines especially in honor of Augustine. He replaced it with the present text to "mention Augustine attaining to the mysterious ways of God."

The doxology (last verse) is new as well, "the intent of which is to recall the admirable writings of the Saint on the august mystery of the Trinity."

Friday Vespers Even Week

Horis peráctis úndecim
Having completed eleven hours Thanks for the correction, mrjdempsey
ruit dies in vésperum;
the day rushes on to evening;
solvámus omnes débitum
let us all pay back a debt
mentis libénter cánticum.
of the mind willingly in song.

Labor diúrnus tránsiit
Our daily labor has passed
quo, Christe, nos condúxeras;
for which, O Christ, you had employed us;
da iam colónis víneæ
so now grant to the farmer of the vine
promíssa dona glóriæ.
the promised gifts of glory.

Mercéde quo nunc ádvocas,
Now you call for the pay
quos ad futúrum múneras,
which you present towards the future,
nos in labóre ádiuva
Aid us in our labor
et post labórem récrea.
and restore us after our work.

Sit, Christe, rex piíssime,
tibi Patríque glória
cum Spíritu Paráclito,
in sempitérna saécula.

The Liber Hymnarius is silent on the identity of the author of this hymn. Therefore we can probably assume...you guessed it, Father Lentini of blessed memory, the hymnist of Monte Cassino. UPDATE: According to suburbanbanshee at Aliens in This World, this is a Mozarbic hymn by an anonymous writer. Not only that, suburbanbanshee did a singable translation! It's quite amazing. I am amazed at people who can do that.

I like the imagery of us as workers in the vineyard, all receiving the same pay no matter when we started work, as Jesus told in the gospel story.

Thursday Vespers Even Week

I am still reeling from my discovery that many of the hymns I am working with here are *gasp* modern, perhaps even recently written. Not written by a monk with no name or one name (I've been through the desert with a monk with no name, it felt good to be out of the rain...sorry, couldn't resist) but by Dom Anselmo Lentini, OSB, died 1989.

I gotta believe Fr. Lentini would be somehow pleased that I (and perhaps many others) could not tell the difference between his modern Latin hymns, cleverly composed to appear medieval, and the one which actually were composed in the middle ages. I guess living in Monte Cassino itself kind of helps to absorb the ambience and all so you can get the feeling right.

Today's offering however, actually does come from the 7th or 8th century.

Deus, qui claro lúmine
God, who with bright light
diem fecísti, Dómine,
hast made the day, O Lord,
tuam rogámus glóriam
we ask for Thy glory
dum pronus dies vólvitur.
while (we are)prone(kneeling) the day is wrapped up.

Iam sol urgénte véspero
Alreday evening is following hard on the heels of the sun
occásum suum gráditur,
His (light) having fallen, it advances,
mundum conclúdens ténebris,
darkness concealing the world
suum obsérvans órdinem.
His order observing.

Tu vero excélse Dómine,
Thou Lord truly preeminent
precántes tuos fámulos
Thy servants imploring
diúrno lassos ópere
tired from daily work
ne sinas umbris ópprimi,
that you not allow the shadows to oppress,


Ut non fuscátis méntibus
that our minds may not be darkened
dies abscédat saéculi,
let the day depart to the ages,
sed tua tecti grátia
yet covered by your grace
cernámus lucem prósperam.
may we discern the favorable light.

Præsta, Pater, piísime,
Patríque compare Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne saéculum. Amen.

Hmmm. That seemed easier somehow. Way easier than yesterday's, which was modern. But also eaiser than Tuesday's which was also 7th-8th century.

Wednesday Vespers Even Week

Sol, ecce, lentus óccidens
Behold, the sun slowly dying
montes et arva et aéquora
over mountains and fields and plains
mæstus relínquit, innovate
leaves them sad, renewed
se lucis omen crástinæ,
light is itself a harbinger of tomorrow,

Mirántibus mortálibus
to wondering mortals
sic te, Creátor próvide,
so provide Thou, Creator,
leges vicésque témporum
laws and alternations of the times
umbris dedísse et lúmini.
you have given shadows and lights.

Ac dum, tenébris æthera
and as long as, the skies of darkness
siléntio preméntibus,
overwhelmed by silence
vigor labórum déficit,
the liveliness of labors flag,
quies cupíta quæritur,
desired quiet is sought after

Spe nos fidéque dívites
we with the riches of hope and faith
tui beámur lúmine
let us be blessed by means of your light
Verbi, quod est a saéculis
of the Word, who from ages past
splendor patérnæ glóriæ.
is the brilliance of the Father's glory.

Est ille sol qui nésciat
He is that Sun which knows not
ortum vel umquam vésperum;
any sunrise or evening;
quo terra gestit cóntegi,
whom the earth is eager to have hidden
quo cæli in ævum iúbilant.
whom the heavens rejoice in for all time.

Has nos seréna pérpetim
we these bright continually
da luce tandem pérfrui,
grant that by light at length we may completely enjoy,
cum Nato et almo Spíritu
with the Son and the nuturing Spirit
tibi novántes cántica. Amen.
renewing the song to you.

OK this one was a watershed for me, not because I think I nailed the translation (I am still unsure of a lot of it) but because the search for help led me to discover something very surprising about this and other hymns I have struggled with.

This hymn is of recent origin. It was not (as I imagined) penned by some monk of past centuries, just past decades. It is the work of Dom Anselmo Lentini of Monte Cassino, presumably the editor of the Liber Hymnarius. He died in 1989. Many of the hymns I have been struggling with are by him. I have struggled mostly because the hymns are not ancient and so there are not ten or twelve translations which have accrued through the ages for me to cheat and look them up, like I have been doing with the other hymns.

Fully forty-three hymns in the Liber Hymnarius are works of Fr. Lentini.

There is a lot more to read about this here at the Musica Sacra forum. It seems that around the beginning of this year, someone there asked about singing the post Vatican II Divine Office. The responses, especially the ones by William Mahrt himself (the president of CMAA) led to the revelation about Lentini writing these Latin hymns, admittedly in a medieval style. Many of the people there have a definite preference for the Pre- Vatican II Divine Office, especially if you want to sing it as a ceremonial in a parish, cathedral or oratory. It's not just nostalgia either, there are historical reasons about how the new LotH was structured, and the (ostensible) assumed intentions of the Reformers (Bugnini especially). They have concluded that the modern LotH was composed for private recitation and not really ever intended to be sung by groups, despite what the introduction to that Breviary says about itself!

Incidentally I was led to this by finding a Catalan translation of this hymn here , which I then put through one of those free automatic translators. The result was suprisingly coherent:

The sun, dying slowly,
it leaves mountains, fields and seas with sorrow;
but he renews the appointment
of the light of the following day.

Thus, Creative oh proseer,
you have fixed, with admiration of the mortals,
the laws and the alternation of the times
between the light and the darkness.

When the darkness submerges
the space in the silence,
the vigor of the works declines
and one looks for the wished rest.

And we, rich people for the faith and the hope,
we enjoy the light of your Verb,
that it is from always
shining of the glory of Pare.

This is the sun
that it never has dawn nor lay;
the earth, with pleasure, wants it to cover it
and the skies praise it eternally.

Grant us, Pare, that finally
we can enjoy this serene light forever;
as long as we renew the canticles of praise to you,
to the Son and to the Saintly Spirit. Amen.

This has all been a real revelation. I never dreamed I would learn so much when I started this project.

Tuesday Vespers Even Week

Thanks to Quantitative Metathesis, who mentioned this blog in a post last night. She has also started a new project: translating the patristic reading from the Office of Readings in the Latin breviary. Just a lil' project to "keep her out of trouble." Awesome cool stuff. She debuts with Clement to the Corinthians.

Sator princépsque témporum,
Sower and master of times,
clarum diem labóribus
the bright day with labors
noctémque qui sopóribus
and the night which with sleep
fixo distínguis órdine,
you separate in fixed order,

Mentem tu castam dírige,
Direct Thou the chaste mind
obscúra ne siléntia
conceal not silences (by silence?)
ad dira cordis vúlnera
toward dreadful wounds of the heart
telis patéscant ínvidi.
that they may reveal the hateful spears.

Vacent ardóre péctora,
May our souls be free from passions,
faces nec ullas pérferant,
may they not bear any torch
quæ nostro hæréntes sénsui
which, clinging to our senses
mentis vigórem sáucient.
would wound the life of the mind.

Præsta, Pater piísime,
Patríque compare Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne saéculum. Amen.

Short and sweet today. I love the imagery of hateful darts, wounds in the soul, torches and the like. It's not that I love the darts and torches: my own cor et pectus et mens have suffered these (too-oft self-inflicted) attacks. I just love seeing my everyday experience reflected in a medieval hymn.

I long to really enter into the meaning of obscúra ne siléntia. I'm not understanding it in the context of that stanza right now, and I suspect some hidden, wonderful truth in the meaning of this prayer. Can anyone help?

Monday Vespers Even Week

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Luminis fons, lux et orígo lucis,
Source of light, THE light and origin of light,
tu pius nostris précibus favéto,
Thou loving (Trinity) favor our prayers
luxque, peccáti ténebris fugátis,
and, the shadows of sin having been chased away,
nos tua adórnet.
let thy Light equip us.

2. Ecce transáctus labor est diéi,
Behold the day's work is complete,
teque nos tuti sumus adnuénte;
and we have been protected by thy gaze;
en tibi grates ágimus libéntes
See, to thee we give glad thanks
tempus in omne.
at all times.

3. Solis abcéssus ténebras redúxit:
The setting sun brings back the darkness:
ille sol nobis rádiet corúscus
Let that brilliant Sun shine for us
luce qui fulva fovet angelórum
the light which warms with reddish glow
ágmina sancta.
the holy crowd of angels.

4. Quas dies culpas hodiérna texit,
The Day covers whatever be the day's faults
Christus deléto pius atque mitis,
Christ, upright and merciful, having wiped away
pectus et puro rútilet nitóre
and may the blameless soul glow brightly
témpore noctis.
through the nighttime.

5. Laus tibi Patri decus atque Nato,
Praise to Thee, Father, and honor to the Son,
Flámini Sancto párilis potéstas,
to the Holy Breath equally powerful,
cuncta qui sceptro régitis suprémo
Thou who rulest over all with highest scepter,
omne per ævum. Amen.
through all time.

I was totally on my own for this one. I have no idea where this hymn comes from. The meter is Sapphic and Adonic. I could find out nothing else about this hymn. I am pretty shaky about most of this translation. I suspect that the first line refers to the Trinity.

• Luminis fons source of light the Father
• lux the Light the Son (Iesus dicens "ego sum lux mundi..."
• et orígo lucis, origin of Light the Holy Spirit...? the only Person left, but I couldn't figure out a reference from Scripture or Tradition identifying the Holy Spirit as the "origin of Light."

Also, these morning and evening hymns are so filled with references to LIGHT that I am starting to wonder about the difference between the Latin words lux and lumen. I know there is a lot of overlap in their meanings (light, day, daylight, etc.) but lumen could mean "torch" or "lamp" even sometimes refering to the sun.

I am going to need lots of help understanding the Vespers hymns this week, the Even Week, so all you legions of readers chime in!!!

Saints and angels, pray for me. All you holy monks and nuns who sang these hymns on earth, whether you completely understood them or not, pray for us who strive to enter into the traditional Mind of Holy Mother Church.

Friday Vespers Odd Week

This hymn tells of the sixth day of creation, when the "brute animals" were created, and then man.

Plasmátor hóminis, Deus,
O God, the creator of man,
qui cuncta solus órdinans,
who alone dost dispose all things,
humum iubes prodúcere
Thou didst command that the earth bring forth
reptántis et feræ genus:
reptiles and beasts:

Maker of man, who from Thy throne
dost order all things, God alone;
by whose decree the teeming earth
to reptile and to beast gave birth:

Qui magna rerum córpora,
who the huge bodies of created beings (things)
dictu iubéntis vívida,
became instinct with life at your (spoken) command
ut sérviant per órdinem
that they may serve in assigned rank
subdens dedísti hómini:
Thou didst give to men, placing them under

The mighty forms that fill the land,
instinct with life at Thy command,
are given subdued to humankind
for service in their rank assigned.

Repélle a servis tuis,
Drive from thy servants
quicquid per immundítiam,
evertything which is dirty/lustful
aut móribus se súggerit,
whether it attaches itself to our morals
aut áctibus se intérserit.
or intertwines itself with our actions.

From all Thy servants drive away
whatéer of thought impure to-day
hath been with open action blent,
or mingled with the heart's intent.

Da gaudiórum praémia,
Grant us the reward of heavenly joys;
da gratiárum múnera:
bestow upon us gifts of grace;
dissólve litis víncula,
rend asunder the chains of strife;
astrínge pacis foédera.
draw closer the bonds of peace.

In heaven Thine endless joys bestow,
and grant Thy gifts of grace below;
from chains of strife our souls release,
bind fast the gentle bands of peace.

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

Grant this, O Father, ever One
with Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son,
Whom, with the Spirit we adore,
one God, both now and evermore.

So this hymn is asking God to place our passions under control just as he once place brute beasts in ordered rank, subdued to human beings. Now I get it!

Thursday Vespers Odd Week

The work of the fifth day of creation: when God created the birds and fishes, both of which sprang from a common source, that is, water.

Magnæ Deus poténtiae,
O God of great power,
qui ex aquis ortum genus
who the offspring born out of waters,
partim remíttis gúrgiti,
in part dost send back to the deep
partim levas in áera.
and in part dost raise them aloft in the air.

O Sovereign Lord of Naturés might,
Who bad'st the water's birth divide;
part in the heavens to take their flight,
and part in ocean's deep to hide;

Demérsa lymphis ímprimens,
Thou dost consign(print?) the fishes to the waters
subvécta cælis írrogans,
and liftest up the birds on high
ut, stirpe una pródita,
that (animals) proceeding from one stock
divérsa répleant loca:
might occupy different places:

These low obscured, on airy wing
exalted those, that either race,
though from one element they spring,
might serve Thee in a different place.

Largíre cunctis sérvulis,
Grant to all Thy servants,
quos mundat unda sánguinis,
whom the stream of Thy blood hath cleansed,
nescíre lapsus críminum,
to know not sinful falls,
nec ferre mortis taédium.
nor suffer the loathsomeness of spiritual death.

Grant, Lord, that we Thy servants all,
saved by Thy tide of cleansing Blood,
no more 'neath sin's dominion fall,
nor fear the thought of death's dark flood!

Ut culpa nullum déprimat,
Let guilt depress no one;
nullum levet iactántia,
let pride exalt no one,
elísa mens ne cóncidat,
lest the despondent soul be disheartened,
eláta mens ne córruat.
and the proud soul be ruined.

Thy varied love each spirit bless,
the humble cheer, the high control;
check in each heart its proud excess,
but raise the meek and contrite soul!

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

This boon, O Father, we entreat,
this blessing grant, Eternal Son,
and Holy Ghost, the Paraclete,
both now, and while the ages run. Amen.

Wow, now that I have looked up some of the vocab and have looked at what the Latin really says, I now understand this metrical translation a lot more...without the Latin meanings this hymn translation was almost inscrutable!

Wednesday Vespers Odd Week

The fourth-day-of-Creation hymn:

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Cæli Deus sanctíssime,
Most Holy God of heaven,
qui lúcidum centrum poli
who the lightsome regions of the universe
candóre pingis ígneo
Thou dost adorn with fiery brilliancy
augens decóri lúmina,
embellishing them with becoming splendor,

O God, whose hand hath spread the sky,
and all its shining hosts on high,
and painting it with fiery light,
made it so beauteous and so bright:

Quarto die qui flámmeam
Thou, on the fourth day with flame
solis rotam constítuens,
didst light up the disk of the sun
lunæ minístras órdini
didst appoint the orbit of the moon,
vagos recúrsus síderum,
and the wandering courses of the stars,

Thou, when the fourth day was begun,
didst frame the circle of the sun,
and set the moon for ordered change,
and planets for their wider range:

Ut nóctibus vel lúmini
That to nights and days
diremptiónis términum,
a boundary-line of separation,
primórdiis et ménsium
and for the beginning of the months
signum dares notíssimum:
a conspicuous sign Thou mightest give

To night and day, by certain line,
their varying bounds Thou didst assign;
and gav'st a signal, known and meet,
for months begun and months complete.

Illúmina cor hóminum,
Enlighten the heart of men,
abstérge sordes méntium,
wipe away the defilements of our souls;
resólve culpæ vínculum
loosen the chains of guilt;
evérte moles críminum.
overturn the great load of our sins.

Enlighten Thou the hearts of men:
polluted souls make pure again:
unloose the bands of guilt within:
remove the burden of our sin.

Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Patríque compar Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne sæ’culum. Amen.

Grant this, O Father, ever One
with Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son,
Whom, with the Spirit we adore,
one God, both now and evermore.

Again, when I have the metrical translation (today done again by J. M. Neale) most of the English literal translation comes directly from Britt, unless there has been a variation in the text, then I actually look up the words.

Tuesday Vespers Odd Week

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Tellúris ingens Cónditor,
Uncreated creator of the world,
mundi solum qui éruens,
who digging up the surface of the earth,
pulsis aquae moléstiis,
and driving off the troubled waters
terram dedísti immóbilem,
didst firmly establish the land,

Earth's mighty Maker, whose command
raised from the sea the solid land;
and drove each bill'wy heap away,
and bade the earth stand firm for aye:

Ut germen aptum próferens,
That it might bring froth appropriate produce,
fulvis decóra flóribus,
be adorned with golden flowers,
fecúnda fructu sísteret
become prolific in fruits,
pastúmque gratum rédderet:
and yield agreeable sustenance.

That so, with flowers of golden hue,
the seeds of each it might renew;
and fruit-trees bearing fruit might yield,
and pleasant pasture of the field:

Mentis perústae vúlnera
The wounds of the sin-parched soul
munda viróre grátiae,
cleanse by the freshness of Thy grace,
ut facta fletu díluat,
that it may wash way with tears its evil deeds,
motúsque pravos átterat,
and suppress sinful emotions.

Our spirit's rankling wounds efface
with dewy freshness of Thy grace:
that grief may cleanse each deed of ill,
and o'er each lust may triumph still.

Iussis tuis obtémperet,
May it obey Thy commands;
nullis malis appróximet,
may it draw nigh nothing sinful;
bonis repléri gáudeat,
that it may rejoice to be filled with good,
et mortis actum nésciat.
and know not the act of death.

Let every soul Thy law obey,
and keep from every evil way;
rejoice each promised good to win,
and flee from every mortal sin.

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

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

This hymn tells of the third day of Creation from the first chapter of Genesis.

Monday Vespers Odd Week

Today I begin working with Vespers hymns. I really should have started with Second Vespers on Sunday, but I'll catch that one on the return trip. The reason I should have started there is that the Vespers hymns follow a logical sequence outlining the days of creation in the opening chapters of Genesis.

Hence today's hymn speaks of what happened on the 2nd day of creation.

Imménse cæli cónditor,
O Great Creator of the heavens
qui, mixta ne confúnderent,
who, lest uniting they flow together,
aquae fluénta dívidens,
dividing the floods of water
cælum dedísti límitem,
Thou didst establish the sky as a boundary.

O GREAT CREATOR of the sky,
Who wouldest not the floods on high
with earthly water to confound,
but madist the firmament their bound;

Firmans locum cæléstibus,
Thou didst establish a place for the heavenly waters,
simúlque terræ rívulis,
and also for the streams on earth,
ut unda flammas témperet,
that water might moderate the heat,
terræ solum ne díssipet:
lest it destroy the soil of the earth.

The floods above Thou didst ordain;
the floods below Thou didst restrain:
that moisture might attemper heat,
lest the parched earth should ruin meet.

Infúnde nunc, piíssime,
Pour forth now, most gracious Lord,
donum pérennis grátiæ,
the gift of Thy never-failing grace,
fraudis novæ ne cásibus
lest by the misfortune of some new deception
nos error átterat vetus.
the old error should overwhelm us.

Upon our souls, good Lord, bestow
Thy gift of grace in endless flow:
lest some renewed deceit or wile
of former sin should us beguile.

Lucem fides invéniat,
Let faith increase the light,
sic lúminis iubar ferat;
and thus produce an effulgence of light;
hæc vana cuncta térreat,
may it trample under foot all vain things;
hanc falsa nulla cómprimant.
may nothing false supplant it.

Let faith discover heav’nly light;
so shall its rays direct us right:
and let this faith each error chase,
and never give to falsehood place.

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

Grant this, O Father, ever One
with Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son,
and Holy Ghost, whom all adore,
reigning and blest forevermore. Amen.

The translation is by the great J.M. Neale.