Universalis now provides English prose translations for Latin hymns in LH

This is a very good development, not only because these translations appear to excellent but it removes me from any responsibility for and need of this blog.

Ave et Vale

THE OCTAVE OF EASTER

Deus misericordiae sempiternae, qui in ipso paschalis festi recursu fidem sacratae tibi plebis accendis, auge gratiam quam dedisti, ut digna omnes intellegentia comprehendant, quo lavacro abluti, quo spiritu regenerati, quo sanguine sunt redempti.

God of everlasting mercy,

who in the very recurrence of the paschal feast

kindle the faith of the people you have made your own,

increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed,

that all may grasp and rightly understand

in what font they have been washed,

by whose Spirit they have been reborn,

by whose Blood they have been redeemed.

From the Missale Gothicum beginning 8^th century, Saturday in Paschal Octave

This prayer is notable in that the petition asks that we be given grace that we might have a proper understanding of the sacrament of Baptism, the Spirit by which are reborn, and the redemption of the sacrifice of the Cross. We might expect that the prayer would be edited or a new prayer created to ask for the experience of the paschal mystery. However, something cannot be experienced unless there is first an understanding of the thing and not just any understanding but a digna intelligentia. St. Thomas the Apostle is not simply being skeptical about the Resurrection but is seeking understanding of it, fides quaerens intellectum.

The Revision of the English Liturgy of the Hours

The Revision of the English Liturgy of the Hours

Although the American version of the hymns for the Office have not yet seen the light of day, the intention is good.

Uwe Michael Lang (Author, Editor) Authentic Liturgical Renewal in Contemporary Perspective Sacra Liturgia UK conference, London July 2016.

In this collection of lectures Bishop Alan Hopes (Bishop of East Anglia and Chairman of the Committee for Liturgy of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales) reports on the principles behind the American Bishops’ Conference (USCCB) proposed revisions of the Liturgy of the Hours. This talk alone is enough to justify the cost of the book. Here I will just try to summarize the section on the Hymns.

All of the hymns of the Liturgica Horarum will be translated into English, guided by four principles or considerations (Bishop Hopes says there are five principles but I can only count four) :

1.       Fidelity to the Latin Text

The theological and spiritual superiority of the Latin hymns is acknowledged. The Latin Hymns are ‘sober’ and deeply connected with Scripture. So the hymns are to be translated, not rewritten. The form of the hymn is to be respected as much as possible. “The natural rules of English usage should be respected, while striving to be faithful to the original Latin".

2.      Nobility of Expression

‘Hymns are sung prayers in poetic form . . . and must be respected first and foremost as prayers”.

3.      Rhyme

“Due to the heavy stress accent natural to English and due to the fact that English is not an Inflected language, the use of rhyme brings into a stanza of English verse a dominant element that controls the structure of the verse. This may easily lead to the imposition of a structure that is alien to the natural rhythm and assonance of Latin verse”.

4.      Adaptability of the Hymn Texts to various Uses

The hymns will allow for both singing and spoken recitation. Each hymn will be accompanied with a chant setting taken from the Liber Hymnarius.

The absence of the Latin Hymns is probably the principal defect in the English Liturgy of the Hours. If they did nothing else, supplying these hymns would draw more people to the English Office.

In fact, the list of defects in this office is longer:

1.  Only three antiphons for Sundays and Solemnities: to be corrected in the new translation.

2. The dated and frankly lame translations of the Preces: to be corrected.

This is a welcome development and proves the points of those detractors of the current English Hours.

HYMN IN HONOR OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN: St. Peter Damian

 

  

Terrena cuncta jubilent,

Astra laudibus intonent,

Virginis ante thalamum,

Laudes alternent dramatum.

          

Hæc Virgo Verbo gravida,

Fit paradisi Janua;

Quæ Deum mundo reddidit,

Cœlum nobis aperuit.

          

Felix ista Puerpera,

Evæ lege liberrima,

Concepit sine masculo,

Peperit absque gemitu.

          

Dives Mariæ gremium!

Mundi gestavit pretium,

Quo gloriamur redimi

Soluti jugo debiti.

          

Quam Patris implet Filius,

Sanctus obumbrat Spiritus

Cœlum fiunt castissima

Sacræ puellæ viscera.

           

Gloria tibi, Domine  etc.

May everything on earth be glad, heaven resound with  praises, taking turns to sing the praises of the drama before the wedding chamber of the Virgin.  This Virgin heavy with the Word is made the door to paradise, she who gives God to the world and opens heaven to us.  This happy mother, free from the rule of Eve, conceived without a man, gives birth without sorrow.  O the riches of Mary’s womb, she gives birth to the ransom of the world,  in which we the redeemed boast, freed from the yoke of our debt. She,  whom the Son of the Father filled, the Holy Spirit overshadowed, the  body of this holy girl most chaste within becomes heaven itself.

IN ANNUNTIATIONE DOMINI

Ad I Vesperas: saec VII-VIII

Walpole argues that this text is from Fortunatus but, because it is not found  in that poet’s collected works, Walsh and Husch say it  can only be ‘an attractive possibility’.

 

Agnóscat omne sæculum

venísse vitæ præmium; (1)

post hostis ásperi iugum

appáruit redémptio.

Isaías quæ præcinit (2)

compléta sunt in Vírgine;

annuntiávit Angelus,

Sanctus replévit Spíritus.

María ventre cóncipit

verbi fidélis sémine;

quem totus orbis non capit,

portant puéllæ víscera.

Adam vetus quod pólluit, (3)

Adam novus hoc ábluit;

tumens quod ille déicit, (4)

humíllimus hic érigit.

Christo sit omnis glória,

Dei Paréntis Fílio,

quem Virgo felix cóncipit

Sancti sub umbra Spíritus. Amen.

1.       WH: Christ is himself our life, bestowed as reward by the Father through the redemptive suffering of the Son. 2. Is. 7:14: ‘Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a child’.  3. What the old Adam corrupted, the new Adam washed away. 4. tumens  = swollen with pride.

May every age know the reward of life has come; after the yoke of the harsh enemy redemption appeared. What things Isaiah proclaimed have been accomplished in the Virgin; the Angel announced, the Holy Spirit fulfilled. Mary conceived in her womb by the seed of the faithful word; what the whole world could not hold a young’s womb carried. What the old Adam corrupted the new Adam washed clean; what prideful one cast down the humble one raised up. All glory be to Christ, the Son of God the Father, whom the blessed Virgin conceived by the over shadowing of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Ad Officium lectionis: Prudentius

Iam cæca vis mortálium

vénerans inánes nænias,

vel æra vel saxa álgida

vel ligna credébat Deum.

Hæc dum sequúntur pérfidi,

prædónis in ius vénerant

et mancipátam fúmido

vitam baráthro immérserant.

Stragem sed istam non tulit

Christus cadéntum géntium;

impúne ne forsan sui

Patris períret fábrica,

Mortále corpus índuit

ut, excitáto córpore,

mortis caténam frángeret

hominémque portáret Patri.

Hic ille natális dies,

quo te Creátor árduus

spirávit et limo índidit,

Sermóne carnem glútinans.

O quanta rerum gáudia

alvus pudíca cóntinet,

ex qua novéllum sæculum

procédit et lux áurea!

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui natus es de Vírgine,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

When mortal men were  blind, they worshiped empty myths, they trusted in a god made of bronze or cold stone or wood.  While the faithless  followed these things, they came under the  rule of the devil and lived the life of a slave plunged down into a dark abyss. But Christ  could not bear this slaughter of fallen nations; he would not let the work of his Father perish with impunity. He put on a mortal body that, when the body had been raised, he might break the chains of death and carry man to the Father. This is the birthday, when the Creator breathed on you and from the mud caused the flesh to be joined to the Word. O what joys for all things the pure womb contains, from which comes forth a new world and golden light.  To you, O Jesus, be glory, born of the Virgin, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for eternal ages. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas

O lux, salútis núntia,

qua Vírgini fert Angelus

complénda mox orácula

et cara terris gáudia.

Qui Patris ætérno sinu

ætérna Proles náscitur,

obnóxius fit témpori

matrémque in orbe séligit.

Nobis piándis víctima

nostros se in artus cólligit,

ut innocénti sánguine

scelus nocéntum díluat.

Concépta carne Véritas,

umbráta velo Vírginis,

puris vidénda méntibus,

imple tuo nos lúmine.

Et quæ modésto péctore

te dicis ancíllam Dei,

regína nunc cæléstium,

patróna sis fidélium.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui natus es de Vírgine,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

O Light, O tidings of salvation,  which the Angel bore to the Virgin, the prophecies soon to be fulfilled and dear joys upon the earth.  The eternal Son who rests forever in the Father’s bosom is born, becomes subject to time and chooses a mother in this world. Victim for our atonement, he joins  himself to our bodies that by innocent blood he might wash away the wickedness of our sins.  O truth conceived in the flesh and shaded by the Virgin’s veil, but seen by pure minds, fill us with your light. And you who humbly call yourself the handmaid of God, now the Queen of the saints in heaven, be the patron of the faithful.  To you, O Jesus, be glory, born of the Virgin, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for eternal ages. Amen.

Ad II Vesperas: Ave, maris stella: See Vespers: Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary