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 that 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 that 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
Taken
from the Cathemerinon, Cantus XI, 33-60. The whole section of XI dealing with
the birth of Christ. The hymn does not mention the Virgin Mary, the doxology is
simply the standard doxology for feasts of Our Lady and forms no part of the
original hymn. Perhaps this is to emphasize the Annunciation as a feast of the Incarnation
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 worshipped 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
WH:
Probably from Carolingian period.
Ave,
maris stella,
Dei
mater alma,
atque
semper virgo,
felix
cæli porta.
Sumens
illud «Ave»
Gabriélis
ore,
funda
nos in pace,
mutans
Evæ nomen.
Solve
vincla reis,
profer
lumen cæcis,
mala
nostra pelle,
bona
cuncta posce.
Monstra
te esse matrem,
sumat
per te precem
qui
pro nobis natus
tulit
esse tuus.
Virgo
singuláris,
inter
omnes mitis,
nos
culpis solútos
mites
fac et castos.
Vitam
præsta puram,
iter
para tutum,
ut
vidéntes Iesum
semper
collætémur.
Sit
laus Deo Patri,
summo
Christo decus,
Spirítui
Sancto
honor,
tribus unus. Amen.
Hail, Star of the Sea, loving Mother of God and
ever virgin, fair gate of heaven. You who received the “Ave’ from the mouth of
Gabriel, establish us in peace, reversing the name of “Eva”. Break the chains
of sin, give light to the blind, drive away our evil, ask for us all that is
good. Show yourself a mother, may he who was born for us and humbled himself to
be your Son, receive our prayer through you. Virgin alone, meek beyond
all others, cause our sins to be absolved, make us meek and chaste. Make our
life unsullied, our journey safe, that we may see Jesus and with you praise him
forever. Amen.
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