Laudemus viros gloriosos, et parentes nostros in generatione sua.

Speak we now in honour of famous men that were our fathers, long ago.

Let us now praise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation.

Multam gloriam fecit Dominus: magnificentia sua a sæculo.

What high achievements the Lord has made known in them, ever since time began!

The Lord hath wrought great glory through his magnificence from the beginning.

Dominantes in potestatibus suis, homines magni virtute et prudentia sua præditi, nuntiantes in prophetis dignitatem prophetarum:

Here were men that had power and bore rule, men that excelled in strength, or in the wisdom that dowered them; prophets that worthily upheld the name of prophecy,

Such as have borne rule in their dominions, men of great power, and endued with their wisdom, shewing forth in the prophets the dignity of prophets,

et imperantes in præsenti populo, et virtute prudentiæ populis sanctissima verba:

issuing to the people the commands their times needed, uttering, through their foresight, a sacred charge to the nations.

And ruling over the present people, and by the strength of wisdom instructing the people in most holy words.

in peritia sua requirentes modos musicos, et narrantes carmina Scripturarum:

Here were men that had skill to devise melodies, to make songs and set them down in writing.

Such as by their skill sought out musical tunes, and published canticles of the scriptures.

homines divites in virtute, pulchritudinis studium habentes, pacificantes in domibus suis.

Here were men rich in ability, noble of aim, that dwelt peacefully in their homes.

Rich men in virtue, studying beautifulness: living at peace in their houses.

Omnes isti in generationibus gentis suæ gloriam adepti sunt, et in diebus suis habentur in laudibus.

These were the glories of their race, the ornament of their times;

All these have gained glory in their generations, and were praised in their days.

Qui de illis nati sunt reliquerunt nomen narrandi laudes eorum.

and the sons they begot have left a memory that adds to the recital of their praise.

They that were born of them have left a name behind them, that their praises might be related:

Et sunt quorum non est memoria: perierunt quasi qui non fuerint: et nati sunt quasi non nati, et filii ipsorum cum ipsis.

Not like those others, who are forgotten in death as if they had never been; nameless, they and their children, as if they had never lived;

And there are some, of whom there is no memorial: who are perished, as if they had never been: and are become as if they had never been born, and their children with them.

Sed illi viri misericordiæ sunt, quorum pietates non defuerunt.

no, these were men of tender conscience; their deeds of charity will never be forgotten.

But these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed:

Cum semine eorum permanent bona:

Blessings abide with their posterity;

Good things continue with their seed,

hæreditas sancta nepotes eorum, et in testamentis stetit semen eorum:

their descendants are a race set apart for God, the pledged heirs of his promises.

Their posterity are a holy inheritance, and their seed hath stood in the covenants.

et filii eorum propter illos usque in æternum manent: semen eorum et gloria eorum non derelinquetur.

For their sakes this line of theirs will endure for all time; their stock, their name, will never be allowed to die out.

And their children for their sakes remain for ever: their seed and their glory shall not be forsaken.

Corpora ipsorum in pace sepulta sunt, et nomen eorum vivit in generationem et generationem.

Their bodies lie in peace; their name lasts on, age after age.

Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto generation and generation.

Sapientiam ipsorum narrent populi, et laudem eorum nuntiet ecclesia.

Their wisdom is yet a legend among the people; wherever faithful men assemble, their story is told.

Let the people shew forth their wisdom, and the church declare their praise.

Enoch placuit Deo, et translatus est in paradisum, ut det gentibus pœnitentiam.

Enoch there was, that did God’s will, and was taken away to Paradise, repentance his gift to mankind.

Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may give repentance to the nations.

Noë inventus est perfectus, justus, et in tempore iracundiæ factus est reconciliatio.

Noe, too, blameless lived and faithful proved; when the day of retribution came, he made amends for all;

Noe was found perfect, just, and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation.

Ideo dimissum est reliquum terræ, cum factum est diluvium.

so it was that earth had a remnant left when the flood came;

Therefore was there a remnant left to the earth, when the flood came.

Testamenta sæculi posita sunt apud illum, ne deleri possit diluvio omnis caro.

with him God’s covenant was made, never again should all living things be drowned together.

The covenants of the world were made with him, that all flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood.

Abraham magnus pater multitudinis gentium, et non est inventus similis illi in gloria: qui conservavit legem Excelsi, et fuit in testamento cum illo.

What greatness was Abraham’s, to be the father of so many nations! Where shall we find another that can boast he kept the law of the most High as Abraham kept it? He, too, entered into a covenant with God,

Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and there was not found the like to him in glory, who kept the law of the most High, and was in covenant with him.

In carne ejus stare fecit testamentum, et in tentatione inventus est fidelis.

and was bidden to bear on his own body the record of it. Once he had put him to the test and found him obedient,

In his flesh he established the covenant, and in temptation he was found faithful.

Ideo jurejurando dedit illi gloriam in gente sua, crescere illum quasi terræ cumulum,

God took an oath that this should be the father of a renowned posterity; their numbers should rival the dust on the ground,

Therefore by an oath he gave him glory in his posterity, that he should increase as the dust of the earth,

et ut stellas exaltare semen ejus, et hæreditare illos a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terræ.

should match the stars in heaven, stretching from southern to western sea, from Euphrates to the ends of earth.

And that he would exalt his seed as the stars, and they should inherit from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

Et in Isaac eodem modo fecit, propter Abraham patrem ejus.

Isaac, the son of such a father, fared no worse;

And he did in like manner with Isaac for the sake of Abraham his father.

Benedictionem omnium gentium dedit illi Dominus, et testamentum confirmavit super caput Jacob.

to him the Lord gave that blessing which should extend to all nations. In Jacob’s person, too, the covenant should be revived;

The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob.

Agnovit eum in benedictionibus suis, et dedit illi hæreditatem, et divisit illi partem in tribubus duodecim.

the blessings Jacob uttered should be ratified, and the lands promised him should be divided among twelve tribes of his own begetting.

He acknowledged him in his blessings, and gave him an inheritance, and divided him his portion in twelve tribes.

Et conservavit illi homines misericordiæ, invenientes gratiam in oculis omnis carnis.

Him a posterity of famous sons awaited, men of tender conscience, that had the good word of all their fellows.

And he preserved for him men of mercy, that found grace in the eyes of all flesh.