Saturday, January 6, 2018

IN EPIPHANIA DOMINI




Vesperas I & Laudes: Prudentius

Quicúmque Christum quæritis,
óculos in altum tóllite:
illic licébit vísere
signum perénnis glóriæ.

Hæc stella, quæ solis rotam
vincit decóre ac lúmine,
venísse terris núntiat
cum carne terréstri Deum.

En, Pérsici ex orbis sinu,
sol unde sumit iánuam,
cernunt períti intérpretes
regále vexíllum magi.

«Quis iste tantus — ínquiunt —
regnátor astris ímperans,
quem sic tremunt cæléstia,
cui lux et æthra insérviunt?

Illústre quiddam cérnimus
quod nésciat finem pati,
sublíme, celsum, intérminum,
antíquius cælo et chao.

Hic ille rex est géntium
populíque rex Iudáici,
promíssus Abrahæ patri
eiúsque in ævum sémini».

Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui te revélas géntibus,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.


All you who seek Christ, raise your eyes to the sky, there you will see a sign of eternal glory. This star, which in beauty and light triumphs over the rotation of the sun, proclaims to earth that God has come with earthly flesh. Look, Persians come from the part of earth where the sun makes its entrance, the Magi skilled in interpreting signs come to find the banner of the King. They ask “where is such a great Ruler of the stars who commands that the heavens tremble before him, whom the light and sky obey? The brightness we found will know no end: the most high, heavenly, infinite, older than heaven and the formless void. This is the King of the nations, the King of the Jews,  promised to Father Abraham and his seed forever. O Jesus, to you be glory, you who revealed yourself to the Gentiles, with the Father and loving Spirit for eternal ages. Amen.

Ad Officium lectionis: Prudentius

Magi vidéntes párvulum
eóa promunt múnera,
stratíque votis ófferunt
tus, myrrham et aurum régium.

According to the testimony
signed by the prophets,
the testator's father and ordered that he
beginning to reign, and commands:

Agnósce clara insígnia
virtútis ac regni tui,
Puer, cui trinam Pater
prædestinávit índolem:

Regem Deúmque annúntiant
thesáurus et fragrans odor
turis Sabæi, at mýrrheus
pulvis sepúlcrum prædocet.

O sola magnárum úrbium
maior Bethlem, cui cóntigit
ducem salútis cælitus
incorporátum gígnere!

Hunc et prophétis téstibus
îsdémque signatóribus
testátor et sator iubet
adíre regnum et cérnere:

Regnum quod ambit ómnia
dia et marína et térrea
a solis ortu ad éxitum
et tártara et cælum supra.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui te revélas géntibus,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

The Magi seeing the baby present him with gifts from the East, prostrate they offer prayers incense, myrrh and gold fit for kings. Child, recognize these clear signs of your power and your kingdom, to you the Father predestined a threefold nature. The treasure of gold and  the fragrant smell of the incense of  Sheba proclaim you King and God, while the myrrh dust foretells the tomb. Bethlehem, greater than all great cities, where the Captain of heavenly salvation took flesh and was born.  Here in accord with prophetic testimony and witness the Father and Testator commands that the kingdom come and be seen.  A kingdom which encompasses all things, divinity, sea and earth from the rising of the sun to its setting both the underworld and the heaven above.  O Jesus, to you be glory, you who revealed yourself to the Gentiles, with the Father and loving Spirit for eternal ages. Amen.


Vesperas II: Sedulius

Hostis Heródes ímpie,
Christum veníre quid times?
Non éripit mortália
qui regna dat cæléstia.

Ibant magi, qua vénerant
stellam sequéntes præviam,
lumen requírunt lúmine,
Deum faténtur múnere.

Lavácra puri gúrgitis
cæléstis Agnus áttigit;
peccáta quæ non détulit
nos abluéndo sústulit.

Novum genus poténtiæ:
aquæ rubéscunt hýdriæ,
vinúmque iussa fúndere
mutávit unda oríginem.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui te revélas géntibus,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

Why, O impious Herod, do you fear the coming of Christ? He who gives a heavenly kingdom does not usurp mortal ones. Following the lead of the star, the Magi came to worship, by light they seek light, by their gifts they profess him to be God. The heavenly Lamb touched Jordan’s cleansing waters; by washing he  washed us from sins that were not his own. A new type of power: the water in the jars becomes red and by his command wine flows out, its nature transformed. O Jesus, to you be glory, you who revealed yourself to the Gentiles, with the Father and loving Spirit for eternal ages. Amen


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