1. Splendor paternae gloriae,
De luce lucem proferens,
Lux lucis et fons luminis,
Dies dierum illuminans,
1. 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;
2. Verusque sol illabere,
Micans nitore perpeti,
Iubarque sancti Spiritus
Infunde nostris sensibus.
2. O Thou true Sun, on us thy glance
Let fall in royal radiance,
The Spirit’s sanctifying beam
Upon our earthly senses stream.
3. Votis vocemus et Patrem—
Patrem perennis gloriae,
Patrem potentis gratiae—
Culpam releget lubricam,
3. The Father, too, our prayers implore,
Father of glory evermore,
The Father of all grace and might,
To banish sin from our delight:
4. Informet actus strenuos,
Dentem retundat invidi,
Casus secundet asperos,
Donet gerendi gratiam.
4. To guide whate’er we nobly do,
With love all envy to subdue,
To make all-fortune turn to fair,
And give us grace our wrongs to bear.
5. Mentem gubernet et regat,
Casto fideli corpore;
Fides calore ferveat,
Fraudis venena nesciat.
5. 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.
6. Christusque nobis sit cibus,
Potusque noster sit fides;
Laeti bibamus sobriam
Ebrietatem Spiritus.
6. 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.
7. Laetus dies hic transeat,
Pudor sit ut diluculum,
Fides velut meridies,
Crepusculum mens nesciat.
7. Rejoicing may this day go hence,
Like virgin dawn our innocence.
Like fiery noon our faith appear,
Nor know the gloom of twilight drear.
8. Aurora cursus provehit,
Aurora totus prodeat,
In Patre totus Filius,
Et totus in Verbo Pater.
8. 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.
Tr. Robert Bridges, from _The Yattendon Hymnal_ (edited by Robert
Bridges & H. Ellis Wooldridge) by permission of the Clarendon Press,
Oxford.