If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.
Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen. Allelúia.
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O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
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Lux iucúnda, lux insígnis,
qua de throno missus ignis
in Christi discípulos,
Corda replet, linguas ditat,
ad concórdes nos invítat
cordis, linguæ módulos.
Consolátor alme, veni,
linguas rege, corda leni:
nihil fellis aut venéni
sub tua præséntia.
Nova facti creatúra,
te laudámus mente pura,
grátiæ nunc, sed natúra
prius iræ fílii.
Tu qui dator es et donum,
nostri cordis omne bonum,
cor ad laudem redde pronum,
nostræ linguæ formans sonum
in tua præcónia.
Tu nos purges a peccátis,
auctor ipse pietátis,
et in Christo renovátis
da perféctæ novitátis
plena nobis gáudia. Amen.
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When God of old came down from heaven,
In power and wrath he came.
Before his feet the clouds were riven,
Half darkness and half flame;
But when he came the second time,
He came in power and love.
Softer than gale at morning prime
Hovered his holy Dove.
The fires that rushed on Sinai down
In sudden torrents dread,
Now gently light, a glorious crown,
On every sainted head.
And when the Spirit of our God
Came down his flock to find,
A voice from heaven was heard abroad,
A rushing, mighty wind.
It fills the Church of God, it fills
The sinful world around;
Only in stubborn hearts and wills
No place for it is found.
Come Lord, come Wisdom, Love and Power,
Open our ears to hear.
Let us not miss the accepted hour!
Save, Lord, by love or fear.
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Confiteántur Dómino misericórdiæ eius et mirabília eius fíliis hóminum.
1Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus,*
quóniam in sǽculum misericórdia eius.
2Dicant, qui redémpti sunt a Dómino,*
quos redémit de manu adversárii,
3et de regiónibus congregávit eos,†
a solis ortu et occásu,*
ab aquilóne et mari.
4Erravérunt in solitúdine, in inaquóso,*
viam civitátis habitatiónis non invenérunt.
5Esuriéntes et sitiéntes,*
ánima eórum in ipsis defécit.
6Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
et de necessitátibus eórum erípuit eos.
7Et dedúxit eos in viam rectam,*
ut irent in civitátem habitatiónis.
8Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
9quia satiávit ánimam sitiéntem*
et ánimam esuriéntem replévit bonis.
10Sedéntes in ténebris et umbra mortis,*
vincti in mendicitáte et ferro,
11quia exacerbavérunt elóquia Dei*
et consílium Altíssimi sprevérunt.
12Et humiliávit in labóribus cor eórum,*
infirmáti sunt, nec fuit qui adiuváret.
13Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
et de necessitátibus eórum liberávit eos.
14Et edúxit eos de ténebris et umbra mortis*
et víncula eórum dirúpit.
15Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
16quia contrívit portas ǽreas*
et vectes férreos confrégit.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Confiteántur Dómino misericórdiæ eius et mirabília eius fíliis hóminum.
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Let them thank the Lord for his love, for the wonders he does for men.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his kindness is for ever.
Let them say this, the people the Lord has redeemed,
those whom he rescued from their enemies
whom he gathered together from all lands,
from east and west, from the north and the south.
They wandered through desert and wilderness,
they could find no way to a city they could dwell in.
Their souls were weary within them,
weary from hunger and thirst.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble
and he rescued them from their distress.
He set them on the right path
towards a city they could dwell in.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
for the wonders he works for men:
the Lord, who feeds hungry creatures
and gives water to the thirsty to drink.
They sat in the darkness and shadow of death,
imprisoned in chains and in misery,
because they had rebelled against the words of God
and spurned the counsels of the Most High.
He wore out their hearts with labour:
they were weak, there was no-one to help.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble
and he rescued them from their distress.
He led them out of the darkness and shadow of death,
he shattered their chains.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
for the wonders he works for men:
the Lord, who shatters doors of bronze,
who breaks bars of iron.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Let them thank the Lord for his love, for the wonders he does for men.
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Ipsi vidérunt ópera Dei et mirabília eius.
17Stulti facti sunt in via iniquitátis suæ*
et propter iniustítias suas afflícti sunt;
18omnem escam abomináta est ánima eórum,*
et appropinquavérunt usque ad portas mortis.
19Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
et de necessitátibus eórum liberávit eos.
20Misit verbum suum et sanávit eos*
et erípuit eos de interitiónibus eórum.
21Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
22et sacríficent sacrifícium laudis*
et annúntient ópera eius in exsultatióne.
23Qui descéndunt mare in návibus,*
faciéntes operatiónem in aquis multis,
24ipsi vidérunt ópera Dómini*
et mirabília eius in profúndo.
25Dixit et excitávit spíritum procéllæ,*
et exaltáti sunt fluctus eius.
26Ascéndunt usque ad cælos†
et descéndunt usque ad abýssos;*
ánima eórum in malis tabescébat.
27Turbáti sunt et moti sunt sicut ébrius,*
et omnis sapiéntia eórum devoráta est.
28Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
et de necessitátibus eórum edúxit eos.
29Et státuit procéllam eius in auram,*
et tacuérunt fluctus eius.
30Et lætáti sunt quia siluérunt,*
et dedúxit eos in portum voluntátis eórum.
31Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
32et exáltent eum in ecclésia plebis*
et in convéntu seniórum laudent eum.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Ipsi vidérunt ópera Dei et mirabília eius.
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They have seen the Lord’s deeds and the wonders he does.
The people were sick because they transgressed,
afflicted because of their sins.
All food was distasteful to them,
they were on the verge of death.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble
and he rescued them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them,
delivered them from their ruin.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
for the wonders he works for men:
Let them offer a sacrifice of praise
and proclaim his works with rejoicing.
Those who go down to the sea in ships,
those who trade across the great waters –
they have seen the works of the Lord,
the wonders he performs in the deep.
He spoke, and a storm arose,
and the waves of the sea rose up.
They rose up as far as the heavens
and descended down to the depths:
the sailors’ hearts melted from fear,
they staggered and reeled like drunkards,
terror drove them out of their minds.
But they cried to the Lord in their trouble
and he rescued them from their distress.
He turned the storm into a breeze
and silenced the waves.
They rejoiced at the ending of the storm
and he led them to the port that they wanted.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
for the wonders he works for men:
let them exalt him in the assembly of the people,
give him praise in the council of the elders.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
They have seen the Lord’s deeds and the wonders he does.
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Vidébunt recti et lætabúntur et intéllegent misericórdias Dómini.
33Pósuit flúmina in desértum*
et éxitus aquárum in sitim,
34terram fructíferam in salsúginem*
a malítia inhabitántium in ea.
35Pósuit desértum in stagna aquárum*
et terram sine aqua in éxitus aquárum.
36Et collocávit illic esuriéntes,*
et constituérunt civitátem habitatiónis.
37Et seminavérunt agros et plantavérunt víneas*
et fecérunt fructum in provéntum suum.
38Et benedíxit eis, et multiplicáti sunt nimis,*
et iuménta eórum non minorávit.
39Et pauci facti sunt et vexáti sunt*
a tribulatióne malórum et dolóre.
40Effúdit contemptiónem super príncipes*
et erráre fecit eos in desérto ínvio.
41Et suscépit páuperem de inópia*
et pósuit sicut oves famílias.
42Vidébunt recti et lætabúntur,*
et omnis iníquitas oppilábit os suum.
43Quis sápiens, et custódiet hæc*
et intélleget misericórdias Dómini?
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Vidébunt recti et lætabúntur et intéllegent misericórdias Dómini.
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The upright see and rejoice; they consider the love of the Lord.
The Lord has turned rivers into wilderness,
he has made well-watered lands into desert,
fruitful ground into salty waste
because of the evil of those who dwelt there.
But he has made wilderness into ponds,
deserts into the sources of rivers,
he has called together the hungry
and they have founded a city to dwell in.
They have sowed the fields, planted the vines;
they grow and harvest their produce.
He has blessed them and they have multiplied;
he does not let their cattle decrease.
But those others became few and oppressed
through trouble, evil, and sorrow.
He poured his contempt on their princes
and set them to wander the trackless waste.
But the poor he has saved from their poverty
and their families grow numerous as sheep.
The upright shall see, and be glad,
and all wickedness shall block up its mouth.
Whoever is wise will remember these things
and understand the mercies of the Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The upright see and rejoice; they consider the love of the Lord.
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℣. Dómine, véritas tua usque ad nubes.
℟. Iudícia tua abýssus multa.
| Lord, your faithfulness reaches up to the clouds.
– Your judgements reach down to the depths.
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11,7Dulce lumen
et delectábile est óculis vidére solem.
8Si annis multis víxerit homo
et in his ómnibus lætátus fúerit,
meminísse debet tenebrósi témporis,
quod multum erit:
omne quod vénerit, vánitas.
9Lætáre ergo iúvenis in adulescéntia tua,
et in bono sit cor tuum in diébus iuventútis tuæ,
et ámbula in viis cordis tui
et in intúitu oculórum tuórum;
et scito quod pro ómnibus his
addúcet te Deus in iudícium.
10Aufer curam a corde tuo
et ámove malum a carne tua;
adulescéntia enim et iuvéntus vanæ sunt.
12,1Meménto Creatóris tui
in diébus iuventútis tuæ,
ántequam véniat tempus afflictiónis,
et appropínquent anni, de quibus dicas:
«Non mihi placent»;
2ántequam tenebréscat
sol et lumen et luna et stellæ,
et revertántur nubes post plúviam;
3quando commovebúntur custódes domus,
et nutábunt viri fortíssimi,
et otiósæ erunt moléntes imminúto número,
et tenebréscent vidéntes per forámina,
4et claudéntur óstia in platéa
submíssa voce moléntis,
et consúrgent ad vocem vólucris,
et subsídent omnes fíliæ cárminis;
5excélsa quoque timébunt
et formidábunt in via.
Florébit amýgdalus,
reptábit locústa,
et dissipábitur cápparis,
quóniam ibit homo in domum æternitátis suæ,
et circuíbunt in platéa plangéntes,
6ántequam rumpátur funículus argénteus,
et frangátur lécythus áureus,
et conterátur hýdria super fontem,
et confringátur rota super cistérnam,
7et revertátur pulvis in terram suam, unde erat,
et spíritus rédeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum.
8Vánitas vanitátum,
dixit Ecclesiástes,
et ómnia vánitas.
9Cumque esset sapientíssimus, Ecclesiástes dócuit ínsuper pópulum sciéntiam; ponderávit et investígans compósuit parábolas multas. 10Quæsívit Ecclesiástes verba delectabília et conscrípsit sermónes rectíssimos ac veritáte plenos.
11Verba sapiéntium sicut stímuli, et quasi clavi defíxi sunt magístri collatiónum; data sunt a pastóre uno.
12His ámplius, fili mi, ne requíras: faciéndi plures libros nullus est finis, frequénsque meditátio carnis afflíctio est.
13Finis loquéndi, ómnibus audítis: Deum time et mandáta eius obsérva; hoc est enim omnis homo. 14Et cuncta, quæ fiunt, addúcet Deus in iudícium circa omne occúltum, sive bonum sive malum.
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Light is sweet; at sight of the sun the eyes are glad. However great the number of the years a man may live, let him enjoy them all, and yet remember that dark days will be many. All that is to come is vanity.
Rejoice in your youth, you who are young;
let your heart give you joy in your young days.
Follow the promptings of your heart
and the desires of your eyes.
But this you must know: for all these things God will bring you to judgement.
Cast worry from your heart,
shield your flesh from pain.
Yet youth, the age of dark hair, is vanity. And remember your creator in the days of your youth, before evil days come and the years approach when you say, ‘These give me no pleasure’, before sun and light and moon and stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;
the day when those who keep the house tremble
and strong men are bowed;
when the women grind no longer at the mill,
because day is darkening at the windows
and the street doors are shut;
when the sound of the mill is faint,
when the voice of the bird is silenced,
and song notes are stilled,
when to go uphill is an ordeal
and a walk is something to dread.
Yet the almond tree is in flower,
the grasshopper is heavy with food
and the caper bush bears its fruit,
while man goes to his everlasting home. And the mourners are already walking to and fro in the street
before the silver cord has snapped,
or the golden lamp been broken,
or the pitcher shattered at the spring,
or the pulley cracked at the well,
or before the dust returns to the earth as it once came from it, and the breath to God who gave it.
Vanity of vanities, Qoheleth says. All is vanity.
Besides being a sage, Qoheleth also taught his knowledge to the people, having weighed, studied and amended a great many proverbs. Qoheleth tried to write in an attractive style and to set down truthful thoughts in a straightforward manner.
The words of the sages are like goads, like pegs driven deep; a shepherd uses these for the good of his flocks.
One last thing, my son, be warned that writing books involves endless hard work, and that much study wearies the body.
To sum up the whole matter: fear God, and keep his commandments, since this is the whole duty of man. For God will call all hidden deeds, good or bad, to judgement.
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℟. Deus, docuísti me a iuventúte mea et usque nunc annuntiábo mirabília tua.* Ne proícias me in témpore senectútis.
℣. Adimplébis me lætítia cum vultu tuo, delectatiónes in déxtera tua usque in finem.* Ne proícias.
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O God, you have taught me from my youth and I proclaim your wonders still. Do not reject me now that I am old.
You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever. Do not reject me now that I am old.
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Dulce, inquit Ecclesiástes, est hoc lumen, et valde bonum ácie oculórum nostrórum solem hunc aspectábilem intuéri. Luce enim subláta, sine spécie mundus esset, vitáque sine vita. Quare ille Dei contemplátor Móyses prævértens dixit: Et vidit Deus lucem et ait quia bonum. Cogitáre nos autem cónvenit, magnum et verum æternúmque lumen, quod illúminat omnem hóminem veniéntem in hunc mundum, Christum scílicet mundi servatórem ac redemptórem, qui, homo factus, ad humánæ condiciónis extréma devénit; de quo dicit prophéta David: Cantáte Deo, psállite nómini eius, iter fácite ei, qui ascéndit ad occidéntem; Dóminus nomen illi; et exsultáte in conspéctu eius.
Dulce appellávit lumen ac bonum prænuntiávit vidére óculis suis solem glóriæ, eum nempe qui divínæ inhumanatiónis témpore ait: Ego sum lux mundi; qui séquitur me, non ambuláverit in ténebris, sed habébit lumen vitæ. Et íterum: Hoc est iudícium, quia lux venit in mundum. Sic ígitur solári hoc, quod córporis óculis usurpámus, lúmine spiritálem iustítiæ Solem prænuntiávit, qui revéra dulcíssimus iis fuit, qui digni hábiti fuére, ut ab eo institueréntur, utque ipsum inter hómines degéntem atque versántem óculis suis aspícerent tamquam hóminem quemque, cum tamen non ut quisque hóminum esset. Erat enim et Deus verus ac proptérea ut cæci vidérent et claudi ambulárent et surdi audírent, effécit, lepris óbsitos mundávit, mórtuos solo iussu ad vitam revocávit.
Porro nunc étiam dulcíssimum revéra est spiritáles óculos in ipsum inténdere et símplicem eius divinámque pulchritúdinem contemplári atque ánimo reputáre; tum ex ipsa communicatióne atque consórtio illustrári exornaríque et ánimi dulcédine perfúndi ac sanctitátem indúere, intellegéntiam acquírere, divína dénique exsultatióne compléri, quæ ad omnes præséntis vitæ dies producátur. Id enim sápiens Ecclesiástes indicávit, cum dixit: Quia etsi annis multis víxerit homo, in ómnibus iis lætábitur. Omnis namque lætítiæ plane auctor est ille iustítiæ Sol ipsum intuéntibus; de quo ait David prophéta: Exsúltent in conspéctu Dei, delecténtur in lætítia, ac rursum: Exsultáte, iusti, in Dómino; rectos decet collaudátio.
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Light is sweet, says Ecclesiastes, at the sight of the sun the eyes are glad. Take away light, and the world is without beauty. Take away light, and life itself is without life. Moses, a man who saw God, says God saw the light and said it was good. So it is right for us to contemplate the great, the true, the eternal light that enlightens every man that comes into the world – that is, Christ the saviour and redeemer of the world, who was made man and lived the human condition to its very end. Of him the prophet David says in the Psalms,
Sing to the Lord and celebrate his name!
Make a road for him who rides upon the clouds –
“The Lord” is his name.
Rejoice in his sight!
He called the light sweet and foretold that it would be good to see with his own eyes the Sun of glory, he who as God-in-man said I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark: he will have the light of life. And again: This is the judgement, that light has come into the world. In this way he used the light of the sun, which we perceive with our eyes, as a prefiguration of the coming of the Sun of justice. That Sun was sweet indeed for those who were found worthy to be taught by him and to see him with their own eyes just like any other man. He was not just any man, he was also the true God, and this is why he made the blind see, the lame walk and the deaf hear, this is why he cleansed people afflicted with leprosy and by his sole command called the dead back to life.
Moreover, even now, in the present, it is a most sweet activity to look on him with the eyes of the spirit, to contemplate his divine beauty and ponder it in our hearts. Thus through communion and togetherness we are enlightened and adorned, our spirits filled with sweetness and we ourselves wrapped in holiness as in a cloak. We attain understanding and finally we are filled with exultation in God which will last all the days of this our present life. As the wise preacher Ecclesiastes said, However great the number of years that a man may live, let him enjoy them all. Obviously the Sun of justice makes all who gaze on him rejoice. As the prophet David says:
The righteous are glad and exult in God’s sight;
they rejoice in their gladness.
and
Rejoice in the Lord, you just: it is good for the upright to praise him.
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℟. Magnificáte Dóminum mecum et exaltémus nomen eius in idípsum.* Respícite ad eum et illuminámini et fácies vestræ non confundéntur.
℣. Idóneos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctórum in lúmine et erípuit nos de potestáte tenebrárum.* Respícite.
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Glorify the Lord with me, together let us praise his name. Look towards him and be radiant, let your faces not be abashed.
He has taken us out of the power of darkness and has made it possible for us to join the saints and with them to inherit the light. Look towards him and be radiant, let your faces not be abashed.
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Oremus.
Præsta, quæsumus, omnípotens Deus, ut, semper rationabília meditántes, quæ tibi sunt plácita, et dictis exsequámur et factis. Per Dóminum.
| Let us pray.
Grant, almighty God,
that with our thoughts always on the things of the Spirit
we may please you in all that we say and do.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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Benedicámus Dómino.
– Deo grátias.
| Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
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The psalms and canticles here are our own translation. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The Universalis downloads do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.
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Copyright © 1996-2013 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. |
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