A Poor Brother's Hymnal
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Iam, Christe, sol iustitiae: Now Christ, Thou Sun of Righteousness
From the 10th century, though some feel it is Ambrosian from the 6th century. This hymn is traditionally used for the ferial offices for Lauds during the weeks of Lent before Holy Week. The revsion of 1632 altered the hymn extensively with the title of the hymn becoming O Sol salutis, initimis. |
| IAM, Christe, sol iustitiae, mentis dehiscant tenebrae, virtutum ut lux redeat, terris diem cum reparas. | NOW Christ, Thou Sun of righteousness, let dawn our darkened spirits bless: the light of grace to us restore while day to earth returns once more. |
| Dans tempus acceptabile et paenitens cor tribue, convertat ut benignitas quos longa suffert pietas. | Thou who dost give the accepted time, give, too, a heart that mourns for crime, let those by mercy now be cured whom loving - kindness long endured. |
| Quiddamque paenitentiae da ferre, quo fit demptio, maiore tuo munere, culparum quamvis grandium. | Spare not, we pray, to send us here some penance kindly but severe, so let Thy gift of pardoning grace our grievous sinfulness efface. |
| Dies venit, dies tua, per quam reflorent omnia; laetemur in hac ut tuae per hanc reducti gratiae. | Soon will that day, Thy day, appear and all things with its brightness cheer: we will rejoice in it, as we return thereby to grace, and Thee. |
| Te rerum universitas, clemens, adoret, Trinitas, et nos novi per veniam novum canamus canticum. Amen. | Let all the world from shore to shore Thee, gracious Trinity, adore; right soon Thy loving pardon grant, that we our new-made song may chant. Amen. |
Labels: 6th c., Ambrose of Milan
¶ Thursday, March 02, 2006 0 comments
Thursday, February 16, 2006
O Splendor of God's Glory Bright (four versions)
O Splendor of the Father's light
That makes our daylight lucid, bright;
O Light of light and sun of day,
Now shine on us your brightest ray.
True Sun, break out on earth and shine
In radiance with your light divine;
By dazzling of your Spirit's might,
Oh, give our jaded senses light.
The Father sends his Son, our Lord,
To be his bright and shining Word;
Come, Lord, ride out your gleaming course
And be our dawn, our light's true source.
---------------------------------
O splendor of God’s glory bright,
O Thou that bringest light from light;
O Light of light, light’s living spring,
O day, all days illumining.
O Thou true Sun, on us Thy glance
Let fall in royal radiance;
The Spirit’s sanctifying beam
Upon our earthly senses stream.
The Father, too, our prayers implore,
Father of glory evermore;
The Father of all grace and might,
To banish sin from our delight.
To guide whate’er we nobly do,
With love all envy to subdue;
To make ill fortune turn to fair,
And give us grace our wrongs to bear.
Our mind be in His keeping placed
Our body true to Him and chaste,
Where only faith her fire shall feed,
To burn the tares of Satan’s seed.
And Christ to us for food shall be,
From Him our drink that welleth free,
The Spirit’s wine, that maketh whole,
And, mocking not, exalts the soul.
Rejoicing may this day go hence;
Like virgin dawn our innocence,
Like fiery noon our faith appear,
Nor known the gloom of twilight drear.
Morn in her rosy car is borne;
Let Him come forth our perfect morn,
The Word in God the Father one,
The Father perfect in the Son.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete.
======================================
Another translation, by Louis F. Benson, 1910:
O splendor of God’s glory bright,
From light eternal bringing light,
Thou Light of light, light’s living Spring,
True Day, all days illumining.
Come, very Sun of Heaven’s love,
In lasting radiance from above,
And pour the Holy Spirit’s ray
On all we think or do today.
And now to Thee our pray’rs ascend,
O Father glorious without end;
We plead with Sovereign Grace for pow’r
To conquer in temptation’s hour.
Confirm our will to do the right,
And keep our hearts from envy’s blight;
Let faith her eager fires renew,
And hate the false, and love the true.
O joyful be the passing day
With thoughts as pure as morning’s ray,
With faith like noontide shining bright,
Our souls unshadowed by the night.
Dawn’s glory gilds the earth and skies,
Let Him, our prefect Morn, arise,
The Word in God the Father one,
The Father imaged by the Son.
========================
O Jesus, Lord of heavenly grace,
[or, O Jesu, Lord of light and grace]
Thou Brightness of Thy Father’s face,
Thou Fountain of eternal light,
Whose beams disperse the shades of night.
Come, holy Sun of heavenly love,
Shower down Thy radiance from above,
And to our inward hearts convey
The Holy Spirit’s cloudless ray.
So we the Father’s help will claim,
And sing the Father’s glorious Name,
And His almighty grace implore
That we may stand, to fall no more.
May He our actions deign to bless,
And loose the bonds of wickedness;
From sudden falls our feet defend,
And bring us to a prosperous end.
May faith, deep rooted in the soul,
Subdue our flesh, our minds control;
May guile depart, and discord cease,
And all within be joy and peace.
So let us gladly pass the day;
Our thoughts be pure as morning ray;
And faithful love our noonday light;
And hope our sunset, calm and bright.
O Christ, with each returning morn
Thine image to our hearts is borne:
O may we ever clearly see
Our Saviour and our God in Thee.
That makes our daylight lucid, bright;
O Light of light and sun of day,
Now shine on us your brightest ray.
True Sun, break out on earth and shine
In radiance with your light divine;
By dazzling of your Spirit's might,
Oh, give our jaded senses light.
The Father sends his Son, our Lord,
To be his bright and shining Word;
Come, Lord, ride out your gleaming course
And be our dawn, our light's true source.
---------------------------------
O splendor of God’s glory bright,
O Thou that bringest light from light;
O Light of light, light’s living spring,
O day, all days illumining.
O Thou true Sun, on us Thy glance
Let fall in royal radiance;
The Spirit’s sanctifying beam
Upon our earthly senses stream.
The Father, too, our prayers implore,
Father of glory evermore;
The Father of all grace and might,
To banish sin from our delight.
To guide whate’er we nobly do,
With love all envy to subdue;
To make ill fortune turn to fair,
And give us grace our wrongs to bear.
Our mind be in His keeping placed
Our body true to Him and chaste,
Where only faith her fire shall feed,
To burn the tares of Satan’s seed.
And Christ to us for food shall be,
From Him our drink that welleth free,
The Spirit’s wine, that maketh whole,
And, mocking not, exalts the soul.
Rejoicing may this day go hence;
Like virgin dawn our innocence,
Like fiery noon our faith appear,
Nor known the gloom of twilight drear.
Morn in her rosy car is borne;
Let Him come forth our perfect morn,
The Word in God the Father one,
The Father perfect in the Son.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete.
======================================
Another translation, by Louis F. Benson, 1910:
O splendor of God’s glory bright,
From light eternal bringing light,
Thou Light of light, light’s living Spring,
True Day, all days illumining.
Come, very Sun of Heaven’s love,
In lasting radiance from above,
And pour the Holy Spirit’s ray
On all we think or do today.
And now to Thee our pray’rs ascend,
O Father glorious without end;
We plead with Sovereign Grace for pow’r
To conquer in temptation’s hour.
Confirm our will to do the right,
And keep our hearts from envy’s blight;
Let faith her eager fires renew,
And hate the false, and love the true.
O joyful be the passing day
With thoughts as pure as morning’s ray,
With faith like noontide shining bright,
Our souls unshadowed by the night.
Dawn’s glory gilds the earth and skies,
Let Him, our prefect Morn, arise,
The Word in God the Father one,
The Father imaged by the Son.
========================
O Jesus, Lord of heavenly grace,
[or, O Jesu, Lord of light and grace]
Thou Brightness of Thy Father’s face,
Thou Fountain of eternal light,
Whose beams disperse the shades of night.
Come, holy Sun of heavenly love,
Shower down Thy radiance from above,
And to our inward hearts convey
The Holy Spirit’s cloudless ray.
So we the Father’s help will claim,
And sing the Father’s glorious Name,
And His almighty grace implore
That we may stand, to fall no more.
May He our actions deign to bless,
And loose the bonds of wickedness;
From sudden falls our feet defend,
And bring us to a prosperous end.
May faith, deep rooted in the soul,
Subdue our flesh, our minds control;
May guile depart, and discord cease,
And all within be joy and peace.
So let us gladly pass the day;
Our thoughts be pure as morning ray;
And faithful love our noonday light;
And hope our sunset, calm and bright.
O Christ, with each returning morn
Thine image to our hearts is borne:
O may we ever clearly see
Our Saviour and our God in Thee.
Labels: 4th c., Ambrose of Milan
¶ Thursday, February 16, 2006 0 comments
Now that the sun is gleaming bright
 John S. Camp (1858-1946) Courtesy of Wesleyan University | Words: Attributed to Ambrose of Milan (Iam lucis orto sidere); translated from Latin to English by John H. Newman, 1837. Music: Abiding Grace, John S. Camp, circa 1905 (MIDI, score). Alternate tune:
|  John H. Newman (1801-1890) |
Now that the sun is gleaming bright,
Implore we, bending low,
That He, the uncreated Light
May guide us as we go.
No sinful word, nor deed of wrong
Nor thoughts that idly rove,
But simple truth be on our tongue,
And in our hearts be love.
And while the hours in order flow,
O Christ, securely fence
Our gates, beleaguered by the foe,
The gate of every sense.
And grant that to Thine honor, Lord,
Our daily toil may tend;
That we begin it at Thy Word,
And in Thy favor end.
Labels: 4th c., Ambrose of Milan
¶ Thursday, February 16, 2006 0 comments