By, the crib wherein reposing,
with His eyes in slumber closing,
lay serene her Infant-boy,

Through her exultant soul
Dancing with joy
Went a song of rejoicing

O how jubilant and blessed
was the immaculate
Mother of the Only-begotten

O how happy and laughing
And exultant did she watch
The birth of her divine son

Who would not rejoice
If he saw the Mother of Christ
In such comfort?

Who would not jubilant too
Watching Christ's Mother
Playing with her son?

For the sins of His people
Amidst beasts of burden she saw
Jesus subjected to the cold.

She saw her sweet offspring
That she adored, crying
Swathed in cheap bandages

For just-born Christ in his crib
The angels sing joyously
And in great rejoicing

The old man stood at his young wife
Without speaking, and his heart
Filled with unspeakable wonder

Oh Mother, fountain of love
Make me feel your ardor
Let me share it with you.

Make my heart burn
With the love of Christ-God
And find grace in his eyes

Blessed Mother, be not harsh
Cause your sufferings
To be fixed deeply in my heart.

With your child from heaven
Let me share my part
Of the penance He deigns to bear

Make me rejoice with you,
and share the adoration of Jesus,
as long as I shall live

May your ardor fill me
May the child be my refuge
In my exile

Familiarize me with this ardor
Make that I do not turn
From this desire.

Virgin, most exalted among virgins,
Be not bitter towards me,
Let me take the child in my arms

Let me have the strength of him,
Who by his birth conquers death,
And is willing to give his life.

Let me be with you fulfilled,
Intoxicated with your first-born
Under such good omens.

Thus aflame with fire of love,
All feelings are silenced
By such selflessness

Let me bear Him in my bosom,
Lord of life, and never lose Him,
since His birth doth death subdue.

When my body lies obstructed,
make my soul to be conducted,
to the vision of thy Son. Amen.

- II -

Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius
ut revelentur ex multis
cordibus cogitationes.

Luc (3:35)

- III -

Stabat Mater dolorosa

Stabat Mater dolorosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
dum pendebat Filius.

Cuius animam gementem,
contristatam et dolentem,
pertransiuit gladius.

O quam tristis et afflicta
fuit illa benedicta
Mater Vnigeniti.

Quĉ mœrebat et dolebat,
Pia Mater cum uidebat
Nati pœnas incliti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret
in tanto supplicio?

Quis non posset contristari,
Christi Matrem contemplari
dolentem cum Filio?

Pro peccatis suĉ gentis
uidit Iesum in tormentis
et flagellis subditum.

Vidit suum dulcem natum
moriendo desolatum,
dum emisit spiritum.

Eia Mater, fons amoris,
me sentire uim doloris
fac, ut tecum lugeam.

Fac ut ardeat cor meum
in amando Christum Deum,
ut sibi complaceam.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas
cordi meo ualide.

Tui nati uulnerati,
tam dignati pro me pati,
pœnas mecum divide.

Fac me vere tecum flere,
Crucifixo condolere,
donec ego uixero.

Iuxta crucem tecum stare,
et me tibi sociare
in planctu desidero.

Virgo uirginum prĉclara,
mihi iam non sis amara:
fac me tecum plangere.

Fac ut portem Christi mortem,
passionis fac consortem,
et plagas recolere.

Fac me plagis uulnerari,
fac me cruce inebriari,
et cruore Filii.

Flammis ne urar succensus
per te Virgo, sim defensus
in die judicii.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
da per Matrem me venire
ad palmam victoriae.

Quando corpus morietur,
fac ut animĉ donetur
Paradisi gloria.

Jacopone da Todi
O.F.M. (d. 1306)

At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to her son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.

O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One.

Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother's pain untold?

For the sins of His own nation,
She saw Jesus wracked with torment,
All with scourges rent:

She beheld her tender Child,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified:

Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory;

When my body dies,
let my soul be granted
the glory of Paradise.