O Bernard, precious gem among those who dwell in
heaven, reward the praises, which we sing to you, in our joy and with gifts of
salvation. Christ inflamed you with a
wound of interior love, and in his providence made you the shield, the pillar
and lamp of his bride, the Church. The life-giving Spirit gave you a fluent voice
to speak the truth and reveal sweetly the hidden things of the angels’ food.
The Virgin Mother filled you with bright fervor of love, whom no one preached
more eloquently and more deeply than you. Kings, judges and prelates sought
your counsel, lover of solitude, yet you filled the world with your fame. To
the Trinity be glory, who granted you to see himself, with you kindly grant
that we may enjoy him with eternal happiness. Amen.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux: from the Monastic Breviary 1962 
Lauds
Lacte quondam profluentes,
Ite, montes vos procul,
Ite, colles, fusa quondam
Unde mellis flumina;
Israel, jactare late
Manna priscum desine.
Ecce cujus corde sudant,
Cujus ore profluunt
Dulciores lacte fontes,
Mellis amnes aemuli:
Ore tanto, corde tanto
Manna nullum dulcius.
Quaeris unde duxit ortum
Tanta lactis copia;
Unde favus, unde prompta
Tanta mellis sua vitas;
Unde tantum manna fluxit,
Unde tot dulcedines.
Lactis imbres Virgo fudit
Ccelitus puerpera:
Mellis amnes os leonis
Excitavit mortui:
Manna sylvae, ccelitumque
Solitudo proxima.
Doctor o Bernarde, tantis
Aucte caeli dotibus,
Lactis hujus, mellis hujus,
Funde rores desuper;
Funde stillas, pleniore
Jam potitus gurgite.
Summa summo laus Parenti,
Summa laus et Filio:
Far tibi sit, sancte, manans
Ex utroque, Spiritus;
Ut fuit, nunc et per aevum
Compar semper gloria. Amen.
Ye mountains, once flowing with milk, depart to a distance; depart, ye hills that once poured forth streams of honey; Israel, cease to boast freely of your ancient manna.
Behold one from whose heart ebb forth, and from whose mouth flow out sweeter fountains of milk
and rival rivers of honey: than such a mouth, than such a heart no manna could be sweeter.
Thou askest whence such abundance of milk originated; whence the honeycomb, whence the swift flowing sweetness of honey; whence such manna; and whence so many delights.
The showers of milk the Virgin-Mother shed on him from heaven: the mouth of the dead lion was the source of the honeyed rivers: the woods and the solitude so nigh the heavens produced the manna.
O Bernard, O Doctor, enriched with such gifts of heaven, shed down upon us the dews of this milk and of this honey; give us the drops, now that thou possessest the full sea.
Highest praise be to the Sovereign Father, and highest praise to the Son: and be the like to thee, O Holy Spirit, proceeding from them both, as it was, now is, and ever will be, equal glory eternally. Amen.
Matins & Vespers
Iam Regína discúbuit,
Sedens post Unigénitum :
Nardus odórem tríbuit
Bernárdus, tradens spíritum.
Dulcis Regínae gústui
Fructus sui suávitas:
Dulcis eius olfáctui
Nardi Bernárdi sánctitas.
Venit Sponsa de Líbano
Coronánda divínitus,
Ut Bernárdus de clíbano
Veníret Sancti Spíritus.
Quae est ista progrédiens
Velut auróra rútilans?
Quis est iste transíliens
Colles, Sanctis coniúbilans?
Haec glória terríbilis
Sicut castrórum ácies:
Hic grátia mirábilis
Ut Assuéri fácies.
Ora pro nobis Dóminum,
Praedúlcis fumi vírgula:
Inclína Patrem lúminum,
Pastor ardens ut fácula.
Sit Trinitati Gloria,
Per quam triumphus Virginis,
Et Bernardi Felicitas
Manent in caeli curia.
Amen.
NOW that the Queen repose has won,
Enthroned beneath the only Son,
Comes Bernard yielding odors sweet,
And lays his spirit at her feet.
HIS fruit was pleasant to her taste;
His perfume sweet of spirit chaste
Was like to precious ointment poured,
The nard of holy living stored.
BEHOLD, he comes from
Lebanon,
Espousal-crowned as Solomon
In all his glad magnificence,
With powder, myrrh and frankincense.
O WHO is this, as roseate dawn,
Who, looking forth as fair as morn,
With heart awakening from
sleep
Upon the mountain heights doth leap?
O WHO is this, so lovable,
As bannered army terrible?
O thou who, drawn, thy course hast run,
As fair as moon and clear as sun,
BY thy choice sprigs of gathered myrrh
Pray for us sinners when we err,
And plead before the Father's face
With ardent, torch-like flame of grace.
ALL glory to the Trinity
To whom in sweet felicity
The Virgin in her triumph high
Brings Bernard, for eternity.
Amen.
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