Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, 
quae pervia caeli porta manes, 
et stella maris, succurre cadenti, 
surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti, 
natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem, 
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore, 
sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer, 
that passage to heaven, gate of the morning, 
and star of the sea, assist the fallen, 
lift up, [you] who cure, the people: 
you who bore to the wonderment of nature, your holy Creator, 
Virgin before and after, who received from Gabriel 
that joyful greeting, have mercy on us sinners.

Dum complerentur

Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes,
erant omnes pariter dicentes, alleluia,
et subito factus est sonus de coelo, alleluia,
tamquam spiritus vehementis,
et replevit totam domum, alleluia.

Now when the day of Pentecost had come,
they were gathered all together, saying: alleluia.
And suddenly they heard a great sound from heaven, alleluia,
like a hurricane in its fury, 
which encompassed all the dwelling, alleluia.

Fuit homo missus a Deo

Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen Joannes erat: 
Hic venit ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine et pararet Domino plebem perfectam.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Resposory for St John the Baptist

Haec dies

Haec dies quam fecit Dominus: 
exultemus et laetemur in eia. Alleluia.

This is the day which the Lord hath made : 
we will rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia. 

Reproaches

What have I done unto thee O my people; 
or wherein have I wearied thee? 
Testify against me. 
Because I brought thee forth from the land of Egypt 
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour. 

Agios O Theos. Sanctus Deus.
Agios is kyros. Sanctus fortis. 
Agios Athanatos eleison imas. Sanctus et immortalis. 
Miserere nobis.

Because I led thee through the desert forty year
and fed thee with manna, 
And brought thee into a land exceeding good
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour.

What more could I have done unto thee that I have not done? 
I indeed did plant thee, O my vineyard, with exceeding fair fruit, 
and thou art become very bitter unto me. 
For vinegar, mingled with gall, thou gavest me when thirst; 
and hast pierced with a spear the side of thy Saviour. 

Sicut Cervus

Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontem aquarum, 
ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

As a deer longs for springs of water, 
so my soul longs for you, O God

Psalm 42 v.1

Super Flumina Babylonis

Super Flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus
dum recordaremur tui, Sion:
in salicibus in medio eius suspendimus organa nostra.

By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept : 
when we remembered thee, O Sion.
As for our harps, we hanged them up : upon the trees that are therein.

Psalm 137 vv.1,2

Tu es petrus

Tu es petrus, 
et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam; 
et portae inferi non prevalebunt adversus eam; 
et tibi dabo claves regni coelorum.

Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; 
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven

Matthew 16:18,19