Hymn for Good-Friday, (Plaint of the Blessed Virgin.)
Stabat mater dolorosa
Beneath the world’s redeeming wood,
Juxta crucem lacrymosa,
The most afflicted Mother stood,
Dum pendebat filius.
Mingling her tears with her Son’s blood.
Cujus animara gementem
As that flow’d down from every part,
Contristatam et dolentem
Of all his wounds she felt the smart;
Pertransivit gladius.
What pierc’d his body, pierc’d her heart.
O quam tristis et afflicta,
Who can with tearless eyes look on,
Fuit illa benedicta
When Mary does, alas! bemoan
Mater unigeniti.
Wounded and faint, her only Son.
Quæ merebat, et dolebat,
O worse than Jewish heart, that could,
Pia mater dum videbat,
Unmov’d, behold the double flood
Nati pœnas inclyti.
Of Mary’s tears, and Jesu’s blood.
Quis est homo, qui non fleret,
Alas! our sins, they were not his
Christi matrem si videret
In tanto supplicio?
In this atoning sacrifice,
For which he bleeds, for which he dies.
Quis non posset contristari,
When graves were open’d rocks were rent,
Piam matrim contemplari
When nature and each element
Dolentem cum filio?
His torments and her grief resent.
Pro peccatis suæ gentis
Shall man, the cause of all his pain
Vidit Jesum in tormentis,
And all his grief, shall sinful man
Et flagellis subditum.
Alone insensible remain?
Vidit suum dulcem natum
Ah, pious mother, teach my heart,
Morientem, desolatum,
Of sighs and tears the holy art,
Dum emisit spiritum.
And in thy grief to bear a part.
Eia, mater fons amoris,
The sword of grief, which did pass through
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac ut tecum lugeam,
Thy very soul, O may it now
Upon my heart a wound bestow.
Fac ut ardeat cor meum,
Great Queen of sorrows, in thy train
In amando Christum Deum,
Let me a mourner’s place obtain,
Ut sibi complaceam.
Let me thy Jesus love again.
Sancta mater istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas,
To heal the leprosy of sin,
We must the cure with tears begin.
Cordi meo valide.
All flesh’s corrupt without their brine.
Tui nati vulnerari,
Refuge of sinners, grant that we
Tam dignati pro me pati
May tread thy steps, and let it be
Pœnas mecum divide.
Our sorrow not to grieve like thee.
Fec me vere tecum flere,
O may the wounds of thy dear Son,
Crucifixo condolere,
Our contrite hearts possess alone.
Donec ego vixero.
And all terrene affections drown.
Juxta crucem tecum stare,
Those wounds, which now the stars outshine,
Te libenter sociare,
Those furnaces of love divine.
In planctu desidero.
May they our drossy souls refine;
Virgo virginum præclara,
And on us such impressions make,
Mihi jam non sis amara,
That we of suff’ring for his sake,
Fac me tecum plangere.
May joyfully our portion take.
Fac ut portem Christi mortem,
Let us his proper badge put on,
Passionis fac consortem,
Let’s glory in the cross alone,
Et plagas recolere.
By which he marks us for his own.
Fac me plagis vulnerari,
That when the dreadful trial’s come,
Cruce hac inebriari,
For every man to hear his doom,
Ob amorem filii.
On his right hand we may find room.
Inflammatus et accensus,
O hear us, Mary! Jesus, hear!
Per te virgo aim defensus
Our humble pray’rs; secure our fear,
In die judicii.
When thou in judgment shalt appear.
Fac me cruce custodiri,
Now give us sorrow, give us love,
Morte Christi præmuniri Confoveri gratia.
That so prepar’d we may remove,
Quando corpus morietur
When call’d to seats of bliss above. Amen.
Fac ut animæ donetur
Paradisi gloria.
V. Tuam ipsius animam pertransivit gladius.
V. A sword has pierced thy own soul.
R. Ut revelentur ex multis cordibus cogitationes.
R. That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.