Christ, Thou Who Art the Light and Day |
Christ, Thou Who Art the Light and Day |
Another old and venerable hymn for the close of day at Compline. This hymn has 8th century origins and is sometimes attributed to the Venerable Bede. |
| CHRISTE, qui, splendor et dies, noctis tenebras detegis, lucisque lumen crederis, lumen beatis praedicans, |
CHRIST, thou who art the light and day, who chasest nightly shades away, thyself the Light of Light confessed, and promiser of radiance blest: |
| Precamur, sancte Domine, hac nocte nos custodias; sit nobis in te requies, quietas horas tribue. |
O holy Lord, we pray to thee, throughout the night our guardian be; in thee vouchsafe us to repose, all peaceful till the night shall close. |
| Somno si dantur oculi, cor semper ad te vigilet; tuaque dextra protegas fideles, qui te diligunt. |
O let our eyes due slumber take, our hearts to thee forever wake: and let thy right hand from above shield us who turn to thee in love. |
| Defensor noster, aspice, insidiantes reprime, guberna tuos famulos, quos sanguine mercatus es. |
O strong defender, hear our prayers, repel our foes and break their snares, and govern thou thy servants here, those ransomed with thy life-blood dear. |
| Sit, Christe, rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria, cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen. |
Almighty Father, this accord through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who with the Holy Ghost and thee doth reign through all eternity. Amen. |
From the Liturgia Horarum, translation by R. F. Littledale (1833-1890)
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