Hymn After Meat (Hymnus Post Cibum)

Newly Translated Into English Verse By R. Martin Pope is below this original.          Hymnus Post Cibum             Pastis visceribus ciboque sumpto,         quem lex corporis inbecilla poscit,         laudem lingua Deo patri rependat;             Patri, qui Cherubin sedile sacrum,         nec non et Seraphin suum supremo         subnixus solio tenet regitque.             Hic est, quem Sabaoth Deum vocamus,         expers principii carensque fine,         rerum conditor et repertor orbis:             fons vitae liquida fluens ab arce,         infusor fidei, sator pudoris,         mortis perdomitor, salutis auctor.             Omnes quod sumus aut vigemus, inde est:         regnat Spiritus ille sempiternus         a Christo simul et Parente missus.             Intrat pectora candidus pudica,         quae templi vice consecrata rident,         postquam conbiberint Deum medullis.             Sed si quid vitii dolive nasci         inter viscera iam dicata sensit,         ceu spurcum refugit celer sacellum.             Taetrum flagrat enim vapore crasso         horror conscius aestuante culpa         offensumque bonum niger repellit.             Nec solus pudor innocensve votum         templum constituunt perenne Christo         in cordis medii sum ac recessu:             sed ne crapula ferveat cavendum est,         quae sedem fidei cibis refertam         usque ad congeriem coartet intus.             Parcis victibus expedita corda         infusum melius Deum receptant.         Hic pastus animae est, saporque verus:             sed nos tu gemino fovens paratu         artus atque animas utroque pastu         confirmas Pater ac vigore conples.             Sic olim tua praecluens potestas         inter raucisonos situm leones,         inlapsis dapibus virum refovit.             Illum fusile numen execrantem         et curvare caput sub expolita         aeris materia nefas putantem             Plebs dirae Babylonis ac tyrannus         morti subdiderant, feris dicarant         saevis protinus haustibus vorandum.             O semper pietas fidesque tuta!         lambunt indomiti virum leones         intactumque Dei tremunt alumnum.             Adstant cominus et iubas reponunt,         mansuescit rabies fameque blanda         praedam rictibus ambit incruentis.             Sed cum tenderet ad superna palmas         expertumque sibi Deum rogaret,         clausus iugiter indigensque victu:             Iussus nuntius advolare terris,         qui pastum famulo daret probato,         raptim desilit obsequente mundo.             Cernit forte procul dapes inemptas,         quas messoribus Abbacuc propheta         agresti bonus exhibebat arte.             Huius caesarie manu prehensa         plenis, sicut erat, gravem canistris         suspensum rapit et vehit per auras.             Tum raptus simul ipse prandiumque         sensim labitur in lacum leonum,         et, quas tunc epulas gerebat, offert:             Sumas laetus, ait, libensque carpas,         quae summus Pater, angelusque Christi         mittunt liba tibi sub hoc periclo.             His sumptis Danielus excitavit         in caelum faciem ciboque fortis         Amen reddidit, Halleluia dixit.             Sic nos muneribus tuis refecti,         largitor Deus omnium bonorum,         grates reddimus et sacramus hymnos.             Tu nos tristifico velut tyranno         mundi scilicet inpotentis actu         conclusos regis et feram repellis,             Quae circumfremit ac vorare temptat         insanos acuens furore dentes,         cur te, summe Deus, precemur unum.             Vexamur, premimur, malis rotamur;         oderunt, lacerant, trahunt, lacessunt,         iuncta est suppliciis fides iniquis.             Nec defit tamen anxiis medela;         nam languente trucis leonis ira         inlapsae superingeruntur escae.             Quas si quis sitienter hauriendo         non gustu tenui, sed ore pleno         internis velit inplicare venis,             Hic sancto satiatus ex propheta,         iustorum capiet cibos virorum,         qui fructum domino metunt perenni.             Nil est dulcius ac magis saporum,         nil quod plus hominem iuvare possit,         quam vatis pia praecinentis orsa.             His sumptis licet insolens potestas         pravum iudicet, inrogetque mortem,         inpasti licet inruant leones,             nos semper Dominum patrem fatentes         in te, Christe Deus, loquemur unum         constanterque tuam crucem feremus.      Hymn After Meat         Refreshed we rise, and for this bread that feeds,         By law of man's weak flesh, our daily needs,             Let every tongue, the Father's praises sing;         The Father Who on His exalted throne,         O'er Cherubim and Seraphim, alone             Reigns in His majesty, Eternal King.         God of Sabaoth is His name: 'tis He         Who ne'er began and ne'er shall cease to be,             Builder of worlds created at His word;         Fountain of Life that flows from out the sky,         He breathes within us Faith and Purity,             Great Conqueror of Death, Salvation's Lord.         From Him each creature life and vigour gains,         And over all the Eternal Spirit reigns             Who cometh from the Father and the Son:         When, dovelike, on pure hearts the heavenly Guest         Descends, they are by God's own presence blest,             As temples where His holy work is done.         But if the taint of vice or guile arise         Within the consecrated shrine, He flies             With speed from out the sin-defild cell;         For, driven forth by guilt's black, surging tide,         The offended Godhead may not there abide             Where conscious sin and noisome foulness dwell.         Not chastity nor childlike faith alone         Build up for Christ an everlasting throne             Deep in the inmost heart, devoid of shame:         But watchful ever must His servants be,         Lest the dark power of sated gluttony             Should bind about the abode of faith its chain.         Yet simple saints, content with frugal fare,         More surely find the Spirit present there,             Who is our soul's true strength and heavenly food:         Thy love for us a twofold feast supplies,         O Father, whence the soul may strengthened rise             And eke the body gain new hardihood.         Thus, fed and sheltered by Thy matchless might,         The lions' hideous roar could not affright             Thy loyal servant in the days of old:         He boldly cursed the molten deity         And stood with stubborn head uplifted high             That scorned to bow before a god of gold.         Then Babylon's vile mob with fury glows;         Death is his doom; and straight the tyrant throws             The youth to be his savage lions' prey:         But faith and piety Thou still dost save,         For lo! the untamed brutes no longer rave,             But round God's unscathed child they gently play.         Close by his side they stand with drooping mane,         The grisly, gaping jaws from blood refrain             And with rough tongues their whilom prey caress:         But when in prayer he raised his hands to heaven         And called the God, from Whom such help was given,             Close-prisoned, hungry, and in sore distress,         A wingd messenger to earth He sends,         Who swiftly through the parting clouds descends             To feed His servant, proven by the test:         By chance he sees from far the unbought fare         Which the good seer Habakkuk's kindly care             With rustic art had for the reapers dressed:         Then, grasping in strong hand the prophet's hair,         He bears him gently through the rushing air,             Still burdened with the platter's savoury load,         Till o'er the lions' den at last they stayed         And straightway to the starving youth displayed             The food thus brought, by God's good grace bestowed.         "Take this with joy," he said, "and thankful feed,         The bread that in thy hour of direst need,             By the great Father sent, Christ's angel brings."         Then Daniel lifts his eyes to heaven above         And, strengthened by the wondrous gift of love,             "Amen!" he cries, and Alleluia sings.         Thus, therefore, by Thy bounties now restored,         Giver of all things good, Almighty Lord,             We render thanks and sing glad hymns to Thee:         Though prisoned in an evil world we dwell         Where sin's grim tyrant rules, Thou dost repel             With sovran power our mortal enemy.         He roars around us, and would fain devour,         Grinding his angry teeth when 'gainst his power             In Thee alone, O God, we still confide:         By evil things we are beset and vexed,         Tormented, hated, harassed and perplexed,             Our faith by cruel suffering sorely tried,         Yet help ne'er fails us in our time of need,         For Thou canst quell the lions' rage, and feed             Our hungry spirits with celestial fare:         And if some soul no meagre taste would gain         Of that repast, but thirstily is fain             Full measure of the heavenly sweets to share,         He by the holy seers of old is fed,         And shall partake the loyal reapers' bread             Who labour in the eternal Master's field:         For nothing sweeter than the Word can be         That fell from righteous lips, once touched by Thee,             And nought can richer grace to mortals yield.         With this sustained, though vaunting tyranny         By unjust judgment doom us straight to die,             And starvd lions rush these limbs to tear;         Confessing ever Thine Eternal Son,         With Thee, Almighty Father, ever one,             His cross with faith unshaken will we bear.