Hymn Before Meat (Hymnus Ante Cibum)

Newly Translated Into English Verse By R. Martin Pope is below this original.     Hymnus Ante Cibum             O crucifer bone, lucisator,         omniparens, pie, verbigena,         edite corpore virgineo,         sed prius in genitore potens,         astra, solum, mare quam fierent:             Huc nitido precor intuitu         flecte salutiferam faciem,         fronte serenus et inradia,         nominis ut sub honore tui         has epulas liceat capere.             Te sine dulce nihil, Domine,         nec iuvat ore quid adpetere,         pocula ni prius atque cibos,         Christe, tuus favor inbuerit         omnia sanctificante fide.             Fercula nostra Deum sapiant,         Christus et influat in pateras:         seria, ludicra, verba, iocos,         denique quod sumus aut agimus,         trina superne regat pietas.             Hic mihi nulla rosae spolia,         nullus aromate fragrat odor,         sed liquor influit ambrosius         nectareamque fidem redolet         fusus ab usque Patris gremio.             Sperne camena leves hederas,         cingere tempora quis solita es,         sertaque mystica dactylico         texere docta liga strophio,         laude Dei redimita comas.             Quod generosa potest anima,         lucis et aetheris indigena,         solvere dignius obsequium,         quam data munera si recinat         artificem modulata suum?             Ipse homini quia cuncta dedit,         quae capimus dominante manu,         quae polus aut humus aut pelagus         aere, gurgite, rure creant,         haec mihi subdidit et sibi me.             Callidus inlaqueat volucres         aut pedicis dolus aut maculis,         inlita glutine corticeo         vimina plumigeram seriem         inpediunt et abire vetant.             Ecce per aequora fluctivagos         texta greges sinuosa trahunt:         piscis item sequitur calamum         raptus acumine vulnifico         credula saucius ora cibo.             Fundit opes ager ingenuas         dives aristiferae segetis:         his ubi vitea pampineo         brachia palmite luxuriant,         pacis alumna ubi baca viret.             Haec opulentia Christicolis         servit et omnia suppeditat:         absit enim procul ilia fames,         caedibus ut pecudum libeat         sanguineas lacerare dapes.             Sint fera gentibus indomitis         prandia de nece quadrupedum:         nos oleris coma, nos siliqua         feta legumine multimodo         paverit innocuis epulis.             Spumea mulctra gerunt niveos         ubere de gemino latices,         perque coagula densa liquor         in solidum coit et fragili         lac tenerum premitur calatho.             Mella recens mihi Cecropia         nectare sudat olente favus:         haec opifex apis aerio         rore liquat tenuique thymo,         nexilis inscia connubii.             Hinc quoque pomiferi nemoris         munera mitia proveniunt,         arbor onus tremefacta suum         deciduo gravis imbre pluit         puniceosque iacit cumulos.             Quae veterum tuba, quaeve lyra         flatibus inclita vel fidibus         divitis omnipotentis opus,         quaeque fruenda patent homini         laudibus aequiparare queat?             Te Pater optime mane novo,         solis et orbita cum media est,         te quoque luce sub occidua         sumere cum monet hora cibum,         nostra Deus canet harmonia.             Quod calet halitus interior,         corde quod abdita vena tremit,         pulsat et incita quod resonam         lingua sub ore latens caveam,         laus superi Patris esto mihi.             Nos igitur tua sancte manus         caespite conposuit madido         effigiem meditata suam,         utque foret rata materies         flavit et indidit ore animam.             Tunc per amoena vireta iubet         frondicomis habitare locis,         ver ubi perpetuum redolet         prataque multicolora latex         quadrifluo celer amne rigat.             Haec tibi nunc famulentur, ait,         usibus omnia dedo tuis:         sed tamen aspera mortifero         stipite carpere poma veto,         qui medio viret in nemore.             Hic draco perfidus indocile         virginis inlicit ingenium,         ut socium malesuada virum         mandere cogeret ex vetitis         ipsa pari peritura modo.             Corpora mutua--nosse nefas--         post epulas inoperta vident,         lubricus error et erubuit:         tegmina suta parant foliis,         dedecus ut pudor occuleret.             Conscia culpa Deum pavitans         sede pia procul exigitur.         innuba fernina quae fuerat,         coniugis excipit inperium,         foedera tristia iussa pati.             Auctor et ipse doli coluber         plectitur inprobus, ut mulier         colla trilinguia calce terat:         sic coluber muliebre solum         suspicit atque virum mulier.             His ducibus vitiosa dehinc         posteritas ruit in facinus,         dumque rudes imitatur avos,         fasque nefasque simul glomerans         inpia crimina morte luit.             Ecce venit nova progenies,         aethere proditus alter homo,         non luteus, velut ille prior:         sed Deus ipse gerens hominem,         corporeisque carens vitiis.             Fit caro vivida sermo Patris,         numine quam rutilante gravis         non thalamo, neque iure tori,         nec genialibus inlecebris         intemerata puella parit.             Hoc odium vetus illud erat,         hoc erat aspidis atque hominis         digladiabile discidium,         quod modo cernua femineis         vipera proteritur pedibus.             Edere namque Deum merita         omnia virgo venena domat:         tractibus anguis inexplicitis         virus inerme piger revomit,         gramine concolor in viridi.             Quae feritas modo non trepidat,         territa de grege candidulo?         inpavidas lupus inter oves         tristis obambulat et rabidum         sanguinis inmemor os cohibet.             Agnus enim vice mirifica         ecce leonibus inperitat:         exagitansque truces aquilas         per vaga nubila, perque notos         sidere lapsa columba fugat.             Tu mihi Christe columba potens,         sanguine pasta cui cedit avis,         tu niveus per ovile tuum         agnus hiare lupum prohibes,         sub iuga tigridis ora premens.             Da locuples Deus hoc famulis         rite precantibus, ut tenui         membra cibo recreata levent,         neu piger inmodicis dapibus         viscera tenta gravet stomachus.             Haustus amarus abesto procul,         ne libeat tetigisse manu         exitiale quid aut vetitum:         gustus et ipse modum teneat,         sospitet ut iecur incolume.             Sit satis anguibus horrificis,         liba quod inpia corporibus         ah miseram peperere necem,         sufficiat semel ob facinus         plasma Dei potuisse mori.             Oris opus, vigor igneolus         non moritur, quia flante Deo         conpositus superoque fluens         de solio Patris artificis         vim liquidae rationis habet.             Viscera mortua quin etiam         post obitum reparare datur,         eque suis iterum tumulis         prisca renascitur effigies         pulvereo coeunte situ.             Credo equidem, neque vana fides,         corpora vivere more animae:         nam modo corporeum memini         de Phlegethonte gradu facili         ad superos remeasse Deum.             Spes eadem mea membra manet,         quae redolentia funereo         iussa quiescere sarcophago         dux parili redivivus humo         ignea Christus ad astra vocat.     Hymn Before Meat         Blest Cross-bearer, Source of good,             Light-creating, Word-begot,         Gracious child of maidenhood,             Bosomed in the Fatherhood,         When earth, sea and stars were not.         With Thy cloudless, healing gaze             Shine upon me from above:         Let Thine all-enlightening rays             Bless this meal and quicken praise,         Praise unto Thy name of Love.         Lord, without Thee nought is sweet,             Nought my life can satisfy,         If Thy favour make not meet             What I drink and what I eat;         Let faith all things sanctify!         O'er this bread God's grace be poured,             Christ's sweet fragrance fill the bowl!         Rule my converse, Triune Lord,             Sober thought and sportive word,         All my acts and all my soul.         Spoils of rose-trees are not spent,             Nor rich unguents on my board:         But ambrosial sweets are sent,             Of faith's nectar redolent,         From the bosom of my Lord.         Scorn, my Muse, light ivy-leaves             Wherewith custom wreathed thy brow:         Love a mystic crown conceives             And a rhythmic garland weaves:         Bind on thee God's praises now.         What more worthy gift can I,             Child of light and aether, bring         Than for boons the Maker high             From His bounty doth supply         Lovingly my thanks to sing?         He hath set 'neath our command             All that ever rose to be,         All that sky and sea and land             Breed in air, in glebe and sand,         Made my slaves, His own made me.         Fowler's craft with gin and net             Feathered tribes of heaven ensnares:         Osier twigs with lime o'erset             That their airy flight may let         His relentless guile prepares.         Lo! with woven mesh the seine             Swimming shoals draws from the wave:         Nor do fish the bait disdain             Till they feel the barb's swift pain,         Captives of the food they crave.         Native wealth that knows no fail,             Golden wheat springs from the field:         Tendrils lush o'er vineyards trail,             Nursed of Peace the olives pale         Berries green unbidden yield.         Christ's grace fills His people's need             With these mercies ever fresh:         Far from us be that foul greed,             Gluttony that loves to feed         On slain oxen's bloodstained flesh.         Leave to the barbarian brood             Banquet of the slaughtered beast:         Ours the homely, garden food,             Greenstuff manifold and good         And the lentils' harmless feast.         Foaming milkpails bubble o'er             With the udders' snowy stream,         Which in thickening churns we pour             Or in wicker baskets store,         As the cheese is pressed from cream.         Honey's nectar for our use             From the new-made comb is shed:         Which the skilful bee imbues             With thyme's scent and airy dews,         Plying lonely toils unwed.         Orchard-groves now mellowed o'er             Bounteously their fruitage shed:         See! like rain on forest floor             Shaken trees their riches pour,         High-heaped apples, ripe and red.         What great trumpet voice or lyre             Famed of yore could fitly praise         Gifts of the Almighty Sire,             Blessings that His own require,         Richly lavished through their days?         When morn breaks upon our sight,             Hymns, O Lord, to Thee shall ring:         Thee, when streams the midday light,             Thee, when shadows of the night         Bid us sup, our voices sing.         For my body's vital heat,             For my heart-blood's pulsing vein,         For my tongue and speech complete             Unto Thee, Most High, 'tis meet         That I raise my grateful strain.         'Twas, O Holy One, Thy care             Wrought us from the plastic clay,         Made us Thine own image bear,             And for our perfection fair         Did Thy Breath to man convey.         On the twain Thou didst bestow             Leafy bowers in pleasaunce fair:         Where spring's scents for aye did blow,             And four stately streams did flow         O'er meads pied with blossoms rare.         "All this realm ye now shall sway:"             (Saidst Thou) "use it at your will,         Yet 'tis death your hands to lay             On the Tree, whose verdant sway         Doth the midmost garden fill."         Then the Serpent's guileful hate             Would not innocency spare:         Bade the maiden urge her mate             With the fruit his lips to sate,         Nor 'scaped she the self-same snare.         Each their nakedness perceives             When the feast they once partook:         Smit with shame their conscience grieves:             Wove they coverings of leaves         Shielding from lascivious look.         Far they both in terror fled             Thrust from dwelling of the pure:         She who erst had dwelt unwed             Subject to her spouse was led,         Bidden Hymen's bonds endure.         On the Serpent, too, His seal             God hath set, Who guile abhorred,         Doomed in triple neck to feel             Impress of the woman's heel,         Fearing her, who feared her lord.         Thus sin in our parents sown             Brought forth ruin for the race;         Good and evil having grown             From that primal root alone,         Nought but death could guilt efface.         But the Second Man behold             Come to re-create our kin:         Not formed after common mould             But our God (O Love untold!)         Made in flesh that knows not sin.         Word of God incarnated,             By His awful power conceived,         Whom a maiden yet unwed,             Innocent of marriage-bed,         In her virgin womb received.         Now we see the Serpent lewd             'Neath the woman's heel downtrod:         Whence there sprang the deadly feud,             Strife for ages unsubdued,         'Twixt mankind and foe of God.         Yet God's mother, Maid adored,             Robbed sin's poison of its bane,         And the Snake, his green coils lowered,             Writhing on the sod, outpoured         Harmless now his venom's stain.         What fierce brute that doth not flee             Lambs of Christ, white-robed and clean?         'Midst the flock from fear set free,             Slinks the drear wolf sullenly,         Checked his maw and tamed his mien.         Wondrous change! restrained by love             Lions the mild lamb obey:         Eagles wild, before the dove             Fluttering from the stars above,         Speed o'er cloudy winds away.         Thou, O Christ, my Dove dost reign             Where the vulture gnaws no more:         Thou dost, snow-white Lamb, enchain             Tigers fierce, and wolves restrain         Gaping at the sheepfold's door.         God of Love, Thy servants we             Pray Thee now to grant our prayer         That our feast may frugal be,             Nor that we dishonour Thee         By coarse surfeit of rich fare.         May we taste no bitter gall             In our cup, nor handle we         Aught of death or harm at all,             Nor intemperately fall         Into gross debauchery.         Be the powers of Hell content             With their primal fraud, whereby         Death into this world was sent,             And that, for sin's chastisement,         God's own creatures once should die.         But in us God's Breath of fire             Cannot lose its vital force:         Never can its might expire,             Flowing from the Eternal Sire,         Who of Reason's strength is source.         Nay, from out death's chilling tomb             Mortal atoms shall arise:         Man from earth's vast, hidden womb             Other, yet the same, shall bloom,         Dust re-made in glorious guise.         'Tis my faith--and faith not vain--             Bodies live e'en as the soul:         Since I hold in memory plain             God as man uprose again,         Loosed from Hell, to His true goal.         Whence from Him the hope I reap             That these limbs the same shall rise,         Which enwrapped in balmy sleep             Christ the Risen safe shall keep         Till He call me to the skies.