Altitudinis firmamentum pulchritudo ejus est, species cæli in visione gloriæ.

The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.

Like a jewel the vault of heaven is set above us; the sight of it is glory made visi-ble.

Sol in aspectu annuntians in exitu, vas admirabile, opus Excelsi.

The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.

Plain to our view is the sun’s passage as it shines out, a very masterpiece of his workmanship, who is the most High.

In meridiano exurit terram, et in conspectu ardoris ejus quis poterit sustinere? fornacem custodiens in operibus ardoris:

At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:

How it burns up the earth at noon-day! How fierce its glow, beyond all endurance! Tend thou the furnace, heat is thy daily portion;

tripliciter sol exurens montes, radios igneos exsufflans, et refulgens radiis suis obcæcat oculos.

The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.

yet three times hotter the sun, as it burns up the hill-side, scorching all with its fiery breath, blinding men’s eyes with its glare.

Magnus Dominus qui fecit illum, et in sermonibus ejus festinavit iter.

Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.

Swiftly it speeds on its course, to do the bidding of the Lord, its glorious maker.

Et luna in omnibus in tempore suo, ostensio temporis, et signum ævi.

And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.

The moon, too, that keeps tryst so faithfully, ever marking how the seasons change,

A luna signum diei festi: luminare quod minuitur in consummatione.

From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

and giving the signal when feast days come round! The moon, whose light must decrease till it vanishes,

Mensis secundum nomen ejus est, crescens mirabiliter in consummatione.

The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection.

and then increase to the full circle, the month its name-child;

Vas castrorum in excelsis, in firmamento cæli resplendens gloriose.

Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

cresset of a watch-fire that lights up the high vault of heaven with its radiant glow.

Species cæli gloria stellarum: mundum illuminans in excelsis Dominus.

The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.

And the stars that deck the sky with their splendour, a beacon-light the Lord kindles high above us;

In verbis Sancti stabunt ad judicium, et non deficient in vigiliis suis.

By the words of the holy one they shall stand in judgment, and shall never fall in their watches.

the summons of his holy word answering so loyally, watching so patiently at their post!

Vide arcum, et benedic eum qui fecit illum: valde speciosus est in splendore suo.

Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.

Look up at the rainbow, and bless the maker of it; how fair are those bright colours

Gyravit cælum in circuitu gloriæ suæ: manus Excelsi aperuerunt illum.

It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.

that span heaven with a ring of splendour, traced by an almighty hand.

Imperio suo acceleravit nivem, et accelerat coruscationes emittere judicii sui.

By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

Swift comes the snow at his word, swift flashes the fire that executes his vengeance;

Propterea aperti sunt thesauri, et evolaverunt nebulæ sicut aves.

Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

he has but to unlock his store-house, and the clouds hover, bird-fashion,

In magnitudine sua posuit nubes, et confracti sunt lapides grandinis.

By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.

arsenals of his might, whence the pounded hail-stones fall.

In conspectu ejus commovebuntur montes, et in voluntate ejus aspirabit notus.

At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.

How his glance makes the hills tremble! Blows the south wind at his bidding,

Vox tonitrui ejus verberavit terram, tempestas aquilonis, et congregatio spiritus:

The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:

earth echoes with the crash of his thunder; blows the north wind, and there is whirling storm.

et sicut avis deponens ad sedendum, aspergit nivem, et sicut locusta demergens descensus ejus.

And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.

Soft as roosting bird falls the snow, spread all around; not more silently comes locust-swarm to earth;

Pulchritudinem candoris ejus admirabitur oculus, et super imbrem ejus expavescet cor.

The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.

what eye but is captivated by its pale beauty, what heart but is filled with terror at the dark cloud that brings it?

Gelu sicut salem effundet super terram: et dum gelaverit, fiet tamquam cacumina tribuli.

He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.

He it is pours out the frost, that lies white as salt on the earth, the frozen earth that seems covered with thistle-down.

Frigidus ventus aquilo flavit, et gelavit crystallus ab aqua: super omnem congregationem aquarum requiescet, et sicut lorica induet se aquis:

The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into crystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and shall clothe the waters as a breastplate.

Cold blows the north wind, and ice forms on the water; no pool but it rests there, arming the water as with a breast-plate;

et devorabit montes, et exuret desertum, et extinguet viride, sicut igne.

And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.

frost gnaws at the mountain-side, parches the open plains, strips them, as fire might have stripped them, of their green.

Medicina omnium in festinatione nebulæ: et ros obvians ab ardore venienti humilem efficiet eum.

A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.

Remedy for all these is none, but the speedy coming of the mist; frost shall be overmastered by the showers the sirocco drives before it,

In sermone ejus siluit ventus, et cogitatione sua placavit abyssum: et plantavit in illa Dominus insulas.

At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.

and at the Lord’s word the chill blast dies away.What else but divine wisdom tamed the rising of the seas, and planted the islands there?

Qui navigant mare enarrent pericula ejus, et audientes auribus nostris admirabimur.

Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.

Hear we what perils in the deep mariners have to tell of, and wonder at the tale;

Illic præclara opera et mirabilia, varia bestiarum genera, et omnium pecorum, et creatura belluarum.

There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.

of the great marvels it contains, living things a many, both fierce and harmless, and monstrous creatures besides.

Propter ipsum confirmatus est itineris finis, et in sermone ejus composita sunt omnia.

Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.

Who but the Lord brought the venture to a happy issue? His word gives all things their pattern.

Multa dicemus, et deficiemus in verbis: consummatio autem sermonum ipse est in omnibus.

We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.

Say we as much as we will, of what needs to be said our words come short; be this the sum of all our saying, He is in all things.

Gloriantes ad quid valebimus? ipse enim omnipotens super omnia opera sua.

What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.

To what end is all our boasting? He, the Almighty, is high above all that he has made;

Terribilis Dominus, et magnus vehementer, et mirabilis potentia ipsius.

The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.

he, the Lord, is terrible, and great beyond compare, and his power is wonderful.

Glorificantes Dominum quantumcumque potueritis, supervalebit enim adhuc: et admirabilis magnificentia ejus.

Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.

Glorify him as best you may, glory is still lacking, such is the marvel of his greatness;

Benedicentes Dominum, exaltate illum quantum potestis: major enim est omni laude.

Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can: for he is above all praise.

praise him and extol him as you will, he is beyond all praising;

Exaltantes eum, replemini virtute, ne laboretis, non enim comprehendetis.

When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

summon all your strength, the better to exalt his name, untiring still, and you shall not reach your goal.

Quis videbit eum et enarrabit? et quis magnificabit eum sicut est ab initio?

Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?

Who can tell us what he is from sight seen of him? Who can magnify his eternal being?

Multa abscondita sunt majora his: pauca enim vidimus operum ejus.

There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of his works.

Much more lies beyond our ken; only the fringe of creation meets our view;

Omnia autem Dominus fecit, et pie agentibus dedit sapientiam.

But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.

and of all things the Lord is maker. Yet, live thou in the worship of him, wisdom thou shalt have for thy reward.