A SEQUENCE REGARDING THE PASSION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
Near the cross in anguish fearful
Stood the virgin mother, tearful,
While her Son was hung to die;
Through her soul, with sorrow groaning,
Deeply grieving, sadly moaning,
Pierced the sword remorselessly.
O how stricken and oppressed,
Was that mother, ever-blesséd,
Of the sole-begotten One.
Sadly wailing, comfort failing,
Spirit quailing, sight unveiling
Torments of her glorious Son.
Who his tears would be withholding,
Christ's own mother thus beholding,
In the depths of so great woe?
Who, that mother blest perceiving,
For her Son so sorely grieving,
Could forbid his tears to flow!
Pro peccatis suae gentis
Vidit Iesum in tormentis
Et flagellis subditum;
Vidit suum dulcem natum
Morientem, desolatum,
Dum emisit spiritum.
Eia mater, fons amoris!
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac, ut tecum lugeam;
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
In amando Christum Deum,
Ut sibi complaceam.
Sancta mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas
Cordi meo valide;
Tui nati vulnerati,
Tam dignati pro me pati,
Poenas mecum divide.
Fac me vere tecum flere,
Crucifixo condolere,
Donec ego vixero;
Iuxta crucem tecum stare,
Te libenter sociare
In planctu desidero.
For His people's own transgression,
Saw she Jesus in oppression,
And with scourges put to death; Saw her First-born, sweetly cherished, While, forsaken there, He perished, Yielding up His latest breath.
Mother, fount of love's pure treasure!
Make me know of grief the measure,
That with thee I sorrow now;
Let my heart with love be burning,
And to Christ, my God, be turning,
That I please Him, e'en as thou.
Holy Mother, grant this blessing:
On my heart the stripes impressing
Of thy Son, the Crucified;
And His pangs, O let me share them,
Since He deigned for me to bear them,
Since it was for me He died.
Let me, with thee truly weeping,
Sorrow's lifelong watch be keeping
By the Crucified with thee;
Near the cross with thee remaining,
With thee still in grief complaining,
May this all my portion be.
Virgo virginum praeclara,
Mihi iam non sis amara,
Fac me tecum plangere;
Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,
Passionis fac consortem
Et plagas recolere.
Fac me plagis vulnerari,
Cruce hac inebriari,
Et cruore filii;
Inflammatus et accensus,
Per te, virgo, sim defensus
In die iudicii.
Fac me cruce custodiri,
Morte Christi praemuniri,
Confoveri gratia.
Quando corpus morietur,
Fac, ut animae donetur
Paradisi gloria.
Virgin, virgins all excelling,
Be not now to me repelling
Grant that I with thee may weep;
Make me of Christ's death the bearer,
Of His passion make me sharer,
And His stripes O let me keep.
Let me of His stripes partaking,
By this cross my thirst be slaking
And with life-blood of thy Son;
Thus inflamed, aroused, defended,
By thee, Virgin, till, life ended,
Day of judgment is begun.
Let me by the cross directed,
By the death of Christ protected,
Find thy cherishing grace suffice.
When this body shall be sleeping,
Grant my soul thy holy keeping
In the rest of Paradise.
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