“Farewell to the Alleluia”

This particular text is taken from The Canterbury Hymnal, edited by Gernot R. Wieland (Toronto Medieval Latin Texts)

IN SEPTUAGESIMA:AD UESPERAM

Alleluia dulce carmen,

uox perhennis gaudii,

alleluia laus suauis

est choris crelestibus,

quam canunt dei manentes

in domo per saecula.

Alleluia leta mater,

conciuis Hierusalem,

alleluia uox tuorum

ciuium gaudentium;

exules nos flere cogunt

Babylonis flumina.

Alleluia non meremur

nunc perhenne psallere,

alleluia nos reatus

cogit intermittere;

tempus instat quo peracta

lugeamus crimina.

Unde laudando precamur

te, beata trinitas,

ut tuum nobis uidere

pascha des in ethere,

quo tibi leti canamus

alleluia perpetim.

AMEN.

Alleluia, sweet song, sound of eternal joy, the alleluia is sweet praise to heavenly choirs, which those who abide in the house of God sing throughout the ages. Alleluia, our joyful mother, fellow citizen of Jerusalem, alleluia, the cry of your rejoicing citizens, the rivers of Babylon force us exiles to weep. We are not worthy to sing alleluia  forever yet. Our sin compels us to interrupt our alleluia. It is the time when we should mourn the sins we have committed. Therefore we petition you with praise, O blessed Trinity, and that you may grant us to see your Easter in heaven, where we shall gladly sing alleluia to you forever. Amen.