S. BERNARDI, ABBATIS ET ECCLESIÆ DOCTORIS

 

 

Ad Laudes matutinas & vesperas: novus

 

Bernárde, gemma cælitum,

laudes, tibi quas pángimus,

in nostra verte gáudia

salútis atque múnera.

 

Te Christus ussit íntimo

dilectiónis vúlnere

Sponsæque fecit próvidus

scutum, colúmnam, lámpada.

 

Almus dedit te Spíritus

os veritátis prófluum

et angelórum pábuli

arcána mella próferens.

 

Amóris æstu cándidi

te Virgo Mater ímbuit,

quam nemo te facúndius

vel prædicávit áltius.

 

Te quæsiérunt árbitrum

reges, magístri, præsules,

cultórque solitúdinis

fama replésti sæculum.

 

Sit Trinitáti glória,

quæ se vidéndam lárgiens,

tecum benígna gáudio

nos det perénni pérfrui. Amen.

 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.

 

 

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, that 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.