St. Bernard of Clairvaux: from the Monastic Breviary 1962

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.