O DIVI amoris victima
quino cruenta vulnere,
Francisce qui vivam Crucis
Christi refers imaginem. |
O VICTIM dear of heavenly love,
impurpled by thy fivefold sign,
Saint Francis, father of the poor,
of Jesus' Cross a living shrine. |
O divi Tu caritatis fervidis
flammis adustus, sanguinem
Christo daturus, barbara
ter cogitasti litora. |
Thou, burning with the glowing flames
of love of God and love of man,
dost yearn for Christ to shed thy blood
and thrice dost try the seas to span. |
Voti sed impos, non sinis
languere flammas desides:
et excitas caelestia,
flagrans amore incendia. |
Although denied thy heart's desire,
thou lettest not thine ardor wane;
but kindled still with love divine
to stir new fires thou strivest amain. |
In prole vivens efferas
pervadis oras; algida
gelu soluto, ut ferveant
ardore sancto pectora. |
Still living in thine Orders three,
thou art found in many a savage clime;
and frozen hearts, warmed at thy flame,
grow fervent with thy fire sublime. |
Sic pertimendis lividum
armis Avernum conteris;
virtutis et firmum latus
templo labanti subiicis. |
So shalt thou crush the powers of hell,
thy conquering arms our foes dismay;
when Holy Church doth seem to fail,
still is thy mighty strength her stay. |
Adsis, Pater, precantibus
ignemque, late quo tua
exarsit ingens caritas,
accende nostris mentibus. |
Come, help us, father, while we pray,
thy love within our hearts inspire,
thy boundless love, that spreads abroad
the glowing brightness of its fire. |
Sit laus Patri et Filio,
sit inclyto Paraclito,
qui nos Parentis optimi
det aemulari spiritum. Amen. |
Praise we the Father and the Son,
praise we the Holy Paraclete:
He grant us grace to emulate
Our father's spirit, as is meet. Amen. |
From the Raccolta #516 (S. C. Ind., Sept. 13, 1893; S. P. Ap., Dec. 5, 1932). Translation by C. E. Spence.
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