Urbs Ierúsalem beáta with a few notes from Walpole

Urbs Ierúsalem beáta with a few notes from Walpole

Walpole: This grand old hymn, full of poetical feeling though rugged enough as to its prosody, was written in VI- Vlllth cent, if we may judge by its metre and the character of its rhymes. The main idea is taken from Rev. xxi. 2, some of its imagery from Is. xxviii. 16 and i Pet. ii. 5 f. …This hymn is the ultimate source of inspiration to all the many hymns concerning the New Jerusalem.

 

Urbs Ierúsalem beáta, (1)

dicta pacis vísio,

quæ constrúitur in cælis

vivis ex lapídibus, (2)

angelísque coronáta (3)

sicut sponsa cómite,

Nova véniens e cælo,

nuptiáli thálamo

præparáta, ut intácta

copulétur Dómino.

Platéæ et muri eius

ex auro puríssimo; (4)

Portæ nitent margarítis

ádytis paténtibus,

et virtúte meritórum

illuc introdúcitur

omnis qui ob Christi nomen

hic in mundo premitur .

Tunsiónibus, pressúris

expolíti lápides

suis coaptántur locis

per manum artíficis;

disponúntur permansúri

sacris ædifíciis.

Glória et honor Deo

usquequáque altíssimo,

una Patri Filióque

atque Sancto Flámini,

quibus laudes et potéstas

per ætérna sæcula. Amen.

1.       ' Blessed city called Jerusalem, (that is to say) the vision of peace.'

2.      vivis ex lapidibus I Pet. ii. 4: Ad quem accedentes lapidem vivum, ab hominibus quidem reprobatum, a Deo autem electum, et honorificatum:et ipsi tamquam lapides vivi superædificamini, domus spiritualis, sacerdotium sanctum, offerre spirituales hostias, acceptabiles Deo per Jesum Christum.

3.      ' adorned by angels as a bride (is adorned) by her attendants,'

4.      Rev. XXI. 21:  Et duodecim portæ, duodecim margaritæ sunt, per singulas: et singulæ portæ erant ex singulis margaritis: et platea civitatis aurum mundum, tamquam vitrum perlucidum.

Blessed city Jerusalem, called vision of peace, which was built in heaven from living stones, crowned by the angels, like a noble bride. Coming down from heaven prepared for the nuptial bed, a virgin joined to the Lord,  her streets and walls made from purest gold. Her gates bright with pearls,  her inner places of the temple opened and by virtue of merits all are lead there who in this world suffered for the name of Christ. The stones are struck, pressed and polished, arranged for their place by the hands of the craftsman; designed to remain forever in the holy buildings. Glory and honor to God most high and to the Son equally and the flaming Spirit: praise and power through endless ages. Amen.