MORNING.

'En clara vox redarguit.'

Hark! an awful voice is sounding,
'Christ is nigh!' it seems to say;
Cast away the dreams of darkness,
O ye children of the day.

Startled at the solemn warning
Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.

Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heaven,
Let us haste with tears of sorrow
One and all to be forgiven.

So, when next He comes with glory,
Wrapping all the earth in fear,-
May He then, as our defender,
On the clouds of heaven appear.

Honour, glory, virtue, merit,
To the Father and the Son,
With the coeternal Spirit,
While eternal ages run!

MS. of 11th cent.

1632.

1849.

Author unknown. recast in the Roman Breviary. tr. by EDWARD CASWALL.

MORNING.

Dies Irae.

I. Dies irae, dies illa,
Solvet saeclum in favilla,
Teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,
Quando Iudex est venturus,
Cuncta stricte discussurus.

Tuba, mirum spargens sonum
Per sepulchra regionum,
Coget omnes ante thronum.

II. 1. Mors stupebit et natura
Cum resurget creatura
Iudicanti responsura.

2. Liber scriptus proferetur,
In quo totum continetur,
Unde mundus iudicetur.

3. Iudex ergo cum sedebit,
Quidquid latet, apparebit,
Nil inultum remanebit.

4. Quid sum miser tum dicturus,
Quem patronum rogaturus
Cum vix iustus sit securus?

Dies Irae.

I. Day of doom, the last and greatest,
Which the waning world awaitest,
Sung by earliest seers and latest.

How shall all men faint for fearing,
When the judgment sign appearing
Bids the world to that great hearing:

When, the grave's long silence breaking,
Peals the trump the nations waking,

Round the throne to muster quaking.

II. 1. Earth herself and death affrighted
Open fast their dens benighted,
That the souls may be requited.

2. Forth are borne the heavy pages
Of the records of all ages,

All men's deeds and all men's wages.

3. Then the Judge in solemn session
Drags to day each dark confession,
Dooms each vainly veiled transgression.

4. Woe is me, for who shall hear me?
What kind saint from judgment bear me,
While the just stand trembling near me?

C

5. Rex tremendae maiestatis, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Salva me, fons pietatis.

6. Recordare, Iesu pie,
Quod sum causa Tuae viae;
Ne me perdas illa die!

7. Quaerens me sedisti lassus, Redemisti crucem passus : Tantus labor non sit cassus.

8. Iuste iudex ultionis, Donum fac remissionis, Ante diem rationis.

9. Ingemisco tanquam reus, Culpa rubet vultus meus, Supplicanti parce, Deus.

10. Qui Mariam absolvisti
Et latronem exaudisti,
Mihi quoque spem dedisti.

11. Preces meae non sunt dignae, Sed Tu bonus fac benigne,

Ne perenni cremer igne.

5. Thou, the King of that dread splendour, Art the sinner's sole defender :

Save Thou me, Thou King most tender.

6. Wrought for me and my salvation
Was Thy lowliest incarnation :
Canst Thou speak my condemnation ?

7. Thou hast sought me weary, sighing; Thou hast bought me by Thy dying; Save me, on Thy pains relying.

8. Righteous Judge to save or slay me,
Free of my offences make me
Ere the reck'ning day o'ertake me.

9. Sin and shame upon me turning Brand my brow with guilty burning; Pity me for pity yearning.

10. By the Magdalene forgiven, By the dying robber shriven, E'en to me a hope is given.

11. Judgment halteth not for weeping; Yet, Thy death's dear merits reaping, Save me from the fire unsleeping.