I received this from a priest reader:
Hymn to the Motu
Iam enim hiems transiit;
imber abiit, et recessit.
Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra;
tempus putationis advenit:
vox turturis audita est in terra nostra;
ficus protulit grossos suos;
vineæ florentes dederunt odorem suum.
Vidi speciosam sicut columbam,
ascendentem desuper
rivos aquarum:
cuius inæstimabilis odor
erat nimis in vestimentis eius:
Et sicut dies verni
circumdabant eam
flores rosarum
et lilia convallium.
Would any of you like to work on what the hymn really says?
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I canticle all of it to mind, but parts of it sound familiar. :)
Now indeed has winter passed,;
The rain has gone and departed.
Flowers have appeared in our land;
The time of pruning has come:
The voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land;
The fig tree has brought forth its unripe figs;
The blooming vineyards have given their scent.
I have seen one beautiful like a dove,
Rising from above
The streams of the waters:
Whose inestimable scent
Was exceedingly in her clothes:
And like the days of spring
The buds of roses
And the lilies of the valleys
Surrounded her.
Well, the first part is the Song of Songs 2:11-13; the second is a responsory text along the same lines:
I saw the lovely one like a dove
rising above the streams of water,
whose surpassing fragrance
was strong in her garments:
And as on a spring day
rose blossoms girded her about,
and lilies of the valley.
Perhaps…??
As winter has passed,
The storm recedes, then is gone.
Flowers appear in our land
and the time has come for them to be cut:
The voice of the Dove is heard in our land;
Fig trees bring forth their unripe fruit;
The vineyards bloom and bring forth their scent.
I saw the beautiful one like a dove
Rising up from above the waters:
Clothed in that unbelievable scent:
And like the days of Spring
was she surrounded by the rose blossoms
and lilies in the valley.
Not a consistent meter – is this more of a Prosa?
I like the translation of “nhaggin” above the best with the exception of “and as on a spring day” which I would change to “and like the days of spring” (chironomo above).
And here’s a useful link to the motett: http://www.uma.es/victoria/pdf/Vidi_Speciosam.pdf
“What does the hymn really say?” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Happy third anniversary to the Motu Proprio.
BTW: Pope Clement VIII (re-)promulgating the Missale Romanum — 07-07-1604 — under the ring of the Fisherman.
Who is as lovely as a day in July?
Thou art more lovely and more septimate….
Seriously, that is a lovely motet text. Thanks for posting it, Fr. Z.
What a beautiful text-it would be wonderful if someone set it to a chant melody!
Happy third anniversary to the Motu Proprio….thank you, Holy Father Benedict!
I found a chant setting on YouTube, but it’s an awful performance by a well-intentioned guy with a microphone. Unlistenable.
Polyphonic setting by Francesco Guerrera (16th c. Spanish): Surge propere amica mea
Spare but beautiful setting by Pablo Casals for organ and SSA: Nigra sum
A setting of the text in English, by William Billings:
I Am the Rose of Sharon
“For lo the winter is past” is the last section. It’s a beautiful marriage of text and tune if you like the New England Singing School tradition.