The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
1 Verbum supernum prodiens,
Nec Patris linquens dexteram,
Ad opus suum exiens,
Venit ad vitæ vesperam.
2 In mortem a discipulo
Suis tradendus æmulis,
Prius in vitæ ferculo
Se tradidit discipulis.
3 Quibus sub bina specie
Carnem dedit et sanguinem;
Ut duplicis substantiæ
Totum cibaret hominem.
4 Se nascens dedit socium,
Convescens in edulium,
Se moriens in pretium,
Se regnans dat in præmium.
5 O salutaris hostia,
Quæ cæli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.
6 Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.
English translation
Translation by John Mason Neale and Edward Caswall (v. 5)
1 The heavenly Word proceeding forth,
Yet leaving not his Father's side,
And going to His work on Earth,
Has reached at length life's eventide.
2 By false disciple to be given
To foemen for His blood athirst,
Himself, the living bread from heaven,
He gave to his disciples first.
3 In twofold form of sacrament,
He gave His flesh, He gave His blood,
That man, of soul and body blent,
Might wholly feed on mystic food.
4 In birth man's fellow-man was He,
His meat while sitting at the board;
He died, our ransomer to be,
He reigns to be our great reward.
5 O saving Victim, opening wide
The gates of heaven to man below;
Our foes press hard on every side,
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
6 All praise and thanks to thee ascend
For evermore, blessed One in Three;
O grant us life that shall not end,
In our true native land with Thee.
English translation
Anonymous translation
1 Christ the Word to earth descended,
Yet remained in heaven still;
When his earthly journey ended
He fulfilled the Father's will.
2 While the false disciple waited
To betray his master's life,
Christ for men, though by men hated,
Gave in love the bread of life.
3 Under two-fold species given,
Flesh as bread and blood as wine,
He became a pledge of heaven:
Man partook of Life Divine.
4 Mighty victim, earth's salvation,
Heaven's gates unfolding wide,
See, we cry in desolation:
Be our strength, be at our side.
5 To thee, Godhead, three-fold essence,
Be unending praise and love;
Make us worthy of thy presence
In our heav'nly home above.
German text
Sangbare Übersetzung von Theresia Benedicta vom Kreuz (Edith Stein)
1 Das Wort erging aus Himmelshöh'n,
Ließ doch des Vaters Rechte nicht,
Es trat zu seinem Werk hervor,
Des Lebens Abend nahte sich.
2 Da Ihn den Feinden schon verriet
Sein Jünger und der Tod Ihm nah,
Zur Stärkung auf des Lebens Bahn
Gab Er sich noch den Jüngern hin.
3 Gab unter zwei Gestalten hin,
Verhüllt dem Aug' sein Fleisch und Blut
Ganz will in zwei Gestalten Er
Des Menschen Trank und Speise sein.
4 Er kam zur Welt, uns gleich zu sein,
Er kam zum Mahl, uns Mahl zu sein,
Er starb, uns Lösepreis zu sein,
Er herrscht, uns ewig Lohn zu sein.
5 O Opfergabe, heilerfüllt,
Du öffnest uns des Heiles Tor,
Uns drängen Kämpfe feindlich-schwer,
Verleih uns Kraft, bring Hilfe Du.
6 Dem drei-und-einen Himmelsherrn
Sei Ruhm in alle Ewigkeit,
Der Leben ohne Ende einst
Uns droben schenk' im Vaterland.