Translation for Chant and Choral Recitation
by
Fr. Paul M. Addison O.S.M.
Mater Ecclesiae Centre for Marian Study and Devotion
Via del Corso, 306 Rome

The foremost of the Angels
was sent down from Heaven
to say "Hail!" to the Mother of God.
At his greeting of spirit, not earth,
when he saw you made flesh in her womb,
saving Lord,
your Angel was joyful,
proclaiming your Mother's great praise:

Rejoice,

inaccessible summit - beyond understanding;

wondrous deepness of depth - for the knowledge of angels.

holy place where the King - did establish His Throne;

who gave birth to the Life - and sustainer of all.

Since well Mary knew of
her virginal calling,
with courage to th'Angel she spoke:
"Your singular word of announcement
seems strange for my spirit to grasp
and to know;
from the womb of a virgin
a child you fortell, as you cry:

The Virgin then pondered
to enter the mystery
and asked of the Angel of God:
"How then can my virginal womb
ever bring forth a child to the world?
You must say!".
Then the Angel most reverently
sang of her praises and said:

stair of Heaven, providing - the pathway for God;

for you span the great gulf - between Heaven and Man.

splendid sign whom the choirs - of angels proclaim;

fearful scourge of the legions - and powers of ill.

The Power of the Highest
o'ershadowed and made Mother
the Virgin unknowing of man:
Her womb thus awakened by God, did
become a good field of rich life
unto all
who are longing to welcome salvation
and sing forth in praise:

With the Lord in her womb,
holy Mary most caring,
paid visit and greeted her cousin.
The child whom Elizabeth bore
heard the words that the Virgin pronounced
and was glad,
and with dance for his song he gave praise
to the Mother of God:

holy field bearing fruit - of abundance of mercies;

too, the table o'erladen - with heavenly gifts.

for you bring shoots of life - to a land that was arid;

for you build for the faithful - a refuge secure.

With his heart in great turmoil,
his thoughts much opposed,
wise Joseph turned backwards and forth:
while secing you still ever pure,
he feared that you may have been faithless,
o Virgin!
But once having heard of your Child
through the Spirit, he exclaimed:

The Shepherds had heard
the great chorus of angels
singing of Christ in our Flesh.
They ran to behold Him the Shepherd,
and looked on Him, innocent Lamb
of the Lord,
being nourished by Mary the Virgin,
to whom they sang praise:

for through you all the heavens - exult with the earth;

for through you do the earth - and the heav'n sing as one.

tireless voice of the chosen - Apostles of God;

restless longing of Martyrs - whose blood is for Christ.

In heaven a star
pointing out the Eternal
was followed by Wise Men in light.
For them a sure lantern of guidance,
it helped them to seek You, o God,
the Most High.
On attaining the Lord unattainable
great was their cry:

for you darken the throne - of the Tyrant so hated;

for you show us the Christ - of great mercy as Lord.

you absolve us from cruel - and terrible rites;

for you save us from murk - and the squalor of fate.

The heralds of God
did the Magi become
on the path back to Babylon bound.
Your prophecy, Lord, they fulfilled,
and your Name, saving Christ, they announced
to the world,
ever heedless of Herod, the foolish,
who never could sing:

Shining forth into Egypt
the splendour of Truth,
you drove out the darkness of error:
at your Power of God, blessed Lord,
the Idols fell down in their weakness
made naught.
And men being saved
to the Mother of God sang in praise:

blessed ocean engulfing - the Pharaoh supreme;

blessed rock pouring forth - the sound waters of Life.

fiery pillar, a light - in the darkness for all;

never cloud of protection - will shield us like you.

On the point of departing
this world so deceiving
was Simeon, the watchman, inspired.
As a baby presented, so small,
yet as Lord in perfection he knew You,
o Christ,
and moved by the Wisdom Eternal,
he cried out in praise:

The Maker of all
made Creation anew
to appear amid us, His dear children:
the Lord blossomed forth from the Virgin,
whose Womb He preserved ever pure
and unstained.
Thus thrilled by this wonder
we sing to the Virgin with joy:

fairest plant bearing fruit - to be food of the Faithful;

tree of beauty, whose shade - is protection for all.

in your Womb you bore Him - who would guide those who wander;

you brought forth to the light - the Releaser of slaves.

Enthralled by His birth
we go forth from this world
to consider the wonders of heaven.
In humanity's lowliest likeness,
He came and was born in our midst,
the Most High,
to lead to the heavens all those
who acclaim Him with joy:

He came to His earth
yet the heav'ns still were filled
by God's Word in His infinite glory.
Our God, not by changing His place,
but inclining most hambly in love
to our race,
was born of the Virgin, the Mother,
to whom we declare:

holy dwelling more holy than - throne of the Cherubim;

precious vessel more blessed than - throne of the Seraphim.

for in you are extremes - of greatness united;

for together as one - you are Virgin and Mother.

Amazed were the angels
to witness the awesome
event of your bless'd Incarnation:
inaccessible God above all
they saw giving access to us
in our Flesh,
and dwelling with us, so that each
can acclaim You and cry:

The finest of speakers
are silent as fish
before you, holy Mother of God.
Never word from their lips will express
how a Mother you are, yet a Virgin
remain.
But we, full of wonder can sing
of the Mystery in faith:

before you subtle schemes - of disputors are stupid;

before you mortal myths - and their makers are empty.

all the sophists are snared - in confusion by you;

simple fishermen catch - their fulfillment in you.

To save the creation
the Lord of the universe
freely came down to the earth.
The God, who was always our Shepherd,
now chose to appear in our midst
as the Lamb;
in our image He called us
whose image we are, thus we pray:

you have given back Life - to those born in disgrace;

for in you have the foolish - found fulness of wisdom.

the Seducer of Hearts was made - pow'rless by You;

the Begetter of Chastity - touched us through you.

No song has been written
that ever could equal
your numberless graces, o Lord.
Indeed, were we offering canticles
countless as grains in the sand
of the sea,
we never could compass your gifts
to your servants, who sing:

We look to the Virgin
most holy, the beacon
who brightens the camp of our darkness.
In her shines the light of God's presence:
she shows us the way to the knowledge
of God.
A splendour is she for our minds
as all praise her with song:

for from you comes the Light - who illumines the world;

blessed spring giving - manifold waters of Life.

Pool of Healing where people - were bathed as of old;

for in you comes the One - who now washes our sins.

His wish to redeem
that most ancient of Debts
brought the Saviour to dwell in our midst.
In His person was payment for all,
who had lost every title to gift
of God's Grace.
He cancelled Sin's charter and therefore
we chant in His praise:

At the birth of your Son
all His creatures rejoice,
Living Temple, o Bearer of God.
Your Womb was the worthiest dwelling
of Him who holds all in His hand
as the Lord.
Most haly and glorious He made you
and taught us to sing:

precious crown: saintly Rulers - acclaim you their glory;

noble banner: good priests all - proclaim you their boast.

mighty fortress defending - the Church of the Lord;

wall of strength for protecting - the Nations of God.

O merciful Mother:
who bear us the greatest
of Saints, God's own Word ever holy:
accept, in your kindness, our song!
From every misfortune and malice
preserve us!
From threatening punishment free us,
your children who call:

Alleluia!