Saturday, February 10, 2018

Farewell to 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.

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