Thursday: II & IV

Lauds: 8^th Century? Formerly the hymn for Prime. Walpole cites an older hymn for Prime: Post Matutinis Laudibus.

Iam lucis orto sídere (1)

Deum precémur súpplices,

ut in diúrnis áctibus

nos servet a nocéntibus. (2)

Linguam refrénans témperet,

ne litis horror ínsonet; (3)

visum fovéndo cóntegat, (4)

ne vanitátes háuriat.

Sint pura cordis íntima,

absístat et vecórdia; (5)

carnis terat supérbiam

potus cibíque párcitas;

Ut, cum dies abscésserit

noctémque sors redúxerit,

mundi per abstinéntiam

ipsi canámus glóriam.

1.       Lucis . . . sidere: the sun. 2. nocéntibus: ‘from all that may hurt us’. 3. ‘that grating strife may not resound on it’. 4. ‘that his protection may screen our eyes, lest they drink in vanities.’ Averte oculos meos, ne videant vanitatem ; in via tua vivifica me – Psalm 118:37. 5. vecordia: folly, madness.

Not that the star of light has risen we humbly pray to God that in our daily work he would preserve us form what may hurt us. May he check and restrain the tongue that no fearsome strife may resound. May he favorably protect our sight that it may not drink of vanities. May our in most hearts be pure and may foolishness be gone; may moderation of food and drink wear down the pride of flesh. That when the day has departed and the lot of night has returned through abstinence of worldly things we may sing his glory.

John Mason Neale

Now that the daylight fills the sky,
We lift our hearts to God on high,
That He, in all we do or say,
Would keep us free from harm today.

May He restrain our tongues from strife,
And shield from anger’s din our life,
And guard with watchful care our eyes
From earth’s absorbing vanities.

O may our inmost hearts be pure,
From thoughts of folly kept secure,
And pride of sinful flesh subdued
Through sparing use of daily food.

So we, when this day’s work is o’er,
And shades of night return once more,
Our path of trial safely trod,
Shall give the glory to our God.

When the Office of Readings is said in the daytime: 10^th Century

Amóris sensus érige

ad te, largítor véniæ,

ut fias clemens córdibus

purgátis inde sórdibus.

Extérni huc advénimus

et éxsules ingémimus;

tu portus es et pátria,

ad vitæ duc nos átria.

Felix quæ sitit cáritas

te fontem vitæ, o Véritas;

beáti valde óculi

te speculántis pópuli.

Grandis est tibi glória

tuæ laudis memória,

quam sine fine célebrant

qui cor ab imis élevant.

Arouse in us feelings of love for you, O Giver of pardon, that you may have mercy and cleanse us from stain. We come as strangers and groan as exiles: you are the gate and fatherland: lead us to the courts of life. What happy love thirsts for is you, O truth, source of life; blessed indeed are the eyes of the people who see you.  Yours is great glory: the memorial of your praise, to whom the lowly raise their hearts without end.  

Vespers: Hélisachar:  7^th-8^th Centuries

Deus, qui claro lúmine

diem fecísti, Dómine,

tuam rogámus glóriam (1)

dum pronus dies vólvitur. (2)

Iam sol urgénte véspero (3)

occásum suum gráditur,

mundum conclúdens ténebris,

suum obsérvans órdinem.

Tu vero, excélse Dómine,

precántes tuos fámulos (4)

diúrno lassos ópere

ne sinas umbris ópprimi,

Ut non fuscátis méntibus (5)

dies abscédat sǽculi,

sed tua tecti grátia (6)

cernámus lucem prósperam.

1.       ‘we pray to thy glory’ 

2.      pronus ‘on its downward course’

3.      vespero = Vesperus = Hesperius = the evening star

4.      ‘and thou, O most high Lord, may the night welcome into its quiet thy servants who wearied with the day’s toil now pray’

5.      ‘that this day  (the natural day almost gone)  may not depart leaving our souls darkened but that we shielded by thy grace may see a happy morrow’

6.      tecti = covered as with a shield’

God, who made the day bright with light, O Lord, we pray to your glory as the fall of day comes round.  Now the sun pressed by the evening steps to its setting, observing its order covers the world with darkness.  To you truly, most high Lord, we pray that you not permit your servants weary from daily work to be oppressed by the darkness. That this past day not leave our minds darkened but rather protected by your grace we may see happy light.