O Jesus Christ, from Thee Began Words: Un­known au­thor, cir­ca 9th Cen­tu­ry (Je­su quad­ra­ge­nar­i­ae); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Thom­as A. La­cey in The Eng­lish Hymn­al (Lon­don: Ox­ford Un­i­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 69.

Music: “Plaistow,” Mag­da­len Hymns, 1760 (MI­DI, score).

O Jesu Christ, from Thee began
This healing for the soul for man,
By fasting sought, by fasting found
Through forty days of yearly round;

That he who fell from high delight,
Borne down to sensual appetite,
By dint of stern control may rise
To climb the hills of Paradise.

Therefore behold Thy Church, O Lord,
And grace of penitence accord
To all who seek with generous tears
Renewal of their wasted years.

Forgive the sin that we have done,
Forgive the course that we have run,
And show henceforth in evil day
Thyself our succor and our stay.

But now let every heart prepare,
By sacrifice of fast and prayer,
To keep with joy magnifical
The solemn Easter festival.

Father and Son and Spirit blest,
To Thee be every prayer addrest,
Who art in threefold Name adored,
From age to age, the only Lord.

Labels: 9th c., latin

  ¶ Thursday, March 02, 2006