Easy Latin hymn for the feast of St. Daniel the Prophet (or St. Isaiah)
  • Maureen
    Posts: 675
    This is a very cool little hymn I found in Vol. 48 of Analecta hymnica medii aevi, p. 303. There's a first verse for St. Isaiah, another for St. Daniel, and a generic prophet verse. It's to the tune of "A solis ortus cardine", so that makes it very quick to learn. (On the next page, there's a hymn structured the same way for St. Isaac and St. Jacob to the tune of "Aeterne rex altissime", but that's not quite so easy to get.)

    Since the feast (or optional memorial, or whatever) of St. Daniel the Prophet is tomorrow, July 21, I thought I'd post it. (Sorry English translation by me.)

    Isaiah verse:

    Ave, certum praesagium
    Ferens de partu virginis
    Dicendo: Ecce, numinis
    Virgo pariet filium.

    Hail, sure prediction
    Telling of the virgin birth,
    Saying, “Behold! of the divine
    The virgin will bring forth a son.”

    Daniel verse:

    Ave, cuius vox conterit
    Iudaeos hoc praesagio:
    Cum sanctorum advenerit
    Sanctus, cessabit unctio.

    Hail, Whose voice breaks [kingdoms]
    With this prediction to the Jews.
    When the saint comes with the saints,
    [His] anointing will rest.

    Generic verse:

    O prophetarum contio
    Certo vigens praesagio,
    Exora voce sedula
    Pro me regentem saecula.

    O speech of the prophets!
    Active, sure prediction,
    Win me, o careful voice,
    Directing me for ages.