Sequence on the Virgin Mary: 11th Century: Raby, The Oxford Book of Medieval Latin Verse, pp.162-163

Sequence on the Virgin Mary: 11th Century: Raby, The Oxford Book of Medieval Latin Verse, pp.162-163

HODIERNAE lux diei

celebris in matris Dei

  agitur memoria.

Decantemus in hac die

semper virginis Mariae

   laudes et praeconia.

Omnis homo, omni hora

ipsam ora et implora

   eius patrocinia;

Psalle, psalle nisu toto

cordis oris, voce, voto:

   'ave, plena gratia.'

Ave, domina caelorum

inexperta viri torum,  

   parens paris nescia;

Fecundata sine viro

genuisti more miro

   genitorem filia,

Florens hortus austro flante,  

porta clausa post et ante,

   via viris invia ;

Fusa caeli rore tellus,

fusum Gedeonis vellus

   deitatis pluvia.

Salve, decus firmamenti,

tu caliginosae menti

desuper irradia;

Placa mare, maris stella,

ne involvat nos procella

et tempestas obvia.

In the light of this day, today, we celebrate the memorial of the Mother of God. Let us on this day sing the praises and the fame of Mary Ever-Virgin.  Every man, at every hour, pray and implore her patronage. Sing, sing with all the strength of the mouth of the heart, the voice, with prayer: ‘hail, full of grace’. Hail, Lady of the heavens, never experiencing a man’s bed, you give without knowing a husband.  Made fruitful without man, you gave birth in a wondrous way, being the daughter of the child, who created you. A garden flourishing under the south wind, its gates closed after and before, the way impassable for men. The dew of heaven poured down upon the earth, flowed upon the fleece of Gideon, the downpour of divinity. Hail, splendor of the firmament, do thou shine from above upon the darkness of our minds. Calm the sea, O Star of the Sea, let not the storms and tempests overwhelm our path.