| Contents | A solis ortus cardine From Lands That See the Sun Arise |
Nativitatis |
Written by Coelius Sedulius (d c 450) in iambic dimeter. This hymn, which is used for Lauds during the Christmas season, is the first seven verses of a much longer alphabetic hymn. Four other verses form a second hymn, Hostis Herodes impie which is used for Epiphany.
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| A SOLIS ortus cardine adusque terrae limitem Christum canamus Principem, natum Maria Virgine. |
FROM lands that see the sun arise, to earth's remotest boundaries, the Virgin-born today we sing, the Son of Mary, Christ the King. |
| Beatus auctor saeculi servile corpus induit, ut carne carnem liberans non perderet quod condidit. |
Blest Author of this earthly frame, to take a servant's form he came, that liberating flesh by flesh, whom he had made might live afresh. |
| Clausae1 parentis viscera caelestis intrat gratia; venter puellae baiulat secreta quae non noverat. |
In that chaste parent's holy womb, celestial grace hath found its home: and she, as earthly bride unknown, yet call that Offspring blest her own. |
| Domus pudici pectoris templum repente fit Dei; intacta nesciens virum verbo concepit Filium2. |
The mansion of the modest breast becomes a shrine where God shall rest: the pure and undefiled one conceived in her womb the Son. |
| Enixa3 est puerpera quem Gabriel praedixerat, quem matris alvo gestiens clausus Ioannes senserat.4 |
That Son, that royal Son she bore, whom Gabriel's voice had told afore: whom, in his Mother yet concealed, the Infant Baptist had revealed. |
| Feno iacere pertulit, praesepe non abhorruit, parvoque lacte pastus est5 per quem nec ales esurit. |
The manger and the straw he bore, the cradle did he not abhor: a little milk his infant fare who feedeth even each fowl of air. |
| Gaudet chorus caelestium et Angeli canunt Deum, palamque fit pastoribus Pastor, Creator omnium. |
The heavenly chorus filled the sky, the Angels sang to God on high, what time to shepherds watching lone they made creation's Shepherd known. |
| Iesu, tibi sit gloria, qui natus es de Virgine, cum Patre et almo Spiritu, in sempiterna saecula. Amen. |
All honor, laud, and glory be, O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee; all glory, as is ever meet, to the Father and to Paraclete. Amen. |
| Latin from the Liturgia Horarum. Translation by J. M. Neale (1818-1866). Changes made by Pope Urban VIII in 1632 to the Roman Breviary: 1 Castae. 2 Concepit alvo Filium. 3 Enititur. 4 Quem ventre Matris gestiens,/baptista clausum senserat.. 5 Et lacte modico pastus est. |
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