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Hymn
English translation
O Virgin fair, who in the sun arrayed,
And crowned with stars, to a greater Sun did’st bring
Such joy that He in thee His light did hide!
Deep love impels me that of thee I sing.
But how shall I begin without thy aid,
Or that of Him who in thy womb did bide?
I call on one who answereth always
When simple faith we show.
Virgin, if extreme woe
In things of earth thou wouldst with joy repay,
In my hard struggle be thy succour given!
O hear me while I pray,
Though I be clay,
And thou the queen of heaven!
O virgin pure, perfect in every part;
Daughter and mother of thy gentle Child,
Sunbeam on earth, bright gem in heaven’s array!
The Father’s Son and thine, O undefiled,
Through thee (window of heaven that thou art!)
Came to redeem us at the final day!
And God among all dwellings of the earth
Selected thee alone,
O virgin, who the moan
Of hapless Eve hast turned to joy and mirth;
O make me worthy His unending love,
Thou who in glory drest,
Honoured and blest,
Art crowned in heaven above.
Vergine bella, che di sol vestita,
coronata di stelle, al sommo Sole
piacesti sí, che ’n te Sua luce ascose,
amor mi spinge a dir di te parole:
ma non so ’ncominciar senza tu’ aita,
et di Colui ch’amando in te si pose.
Invoco lei che ben sempre rispose,
chi la chiamò con fede:
Vergine, s’a mercede
miseria extrema de l’humane cose
già mai ti volse, al mio prego t’inchina,
soccorri a la mia guerra,
bench’i’ sia terra, et tu del ciel regina.
Vergine pura, d’ogni parte intera,
del tuo parto gentil figliola et madre,
ch’allumi questa vita, et l’altra adorni,
per te il tuo figlio, et quel del sommo Padre,
o fenestra del ciel lucente altera,
venne a salvarne in su li extremi giorni;
et fra tutt’i terreni altri soggiorni
sola tu fosti electa,
Vergine benedetta,
che ’l pianto d’Eva in allegrezza torni.
Fammi, ché puoi, de la Sua gratia degno,
senza fine o beata,
già coronata nel superno regno.
English translation
O Virgin fair, who in the sun arrayed,
And crowned with stars, to a greater Sun did’st bring
Such joy that He in thee His light did hide!
Deep love impels me that of thee I sing.
But how shall I begin without thy aid,
Or that of Him who in thy womb did bide?
I call on one who answereth always
When simple faith we show.
Virgin, if extreme woe
In things of earth thou wouldst with joy repay,
In my hard struggle be thy succour given!
O hear me while I pray,
Though I be clay,
And thou the queen of heaven!
O virgin pure, perfect in every part;
Daughter and mother of thy gentle Child,
Sunbeam on earth, bright gem in heaven’s array!
The Father’s Son and thine, O undefiled,
Through thee (window of heaven that thou art!)
Came to redeem us at the final day!
And God among all dwellings of the earth
Selected thee alone,
O virgin, who the moan
Of hapless Eve hast turned to joy and mirth;
O make me worthy His unending love,
Thou who in glory drest,
Honoured and blest,
Art crowned in heaven above.
Vergine Bella by Mignarda; Vergine bella; Author: Francesco Petrarch; Edition used: “Some Love Songs of Petrarch”, translated and annotated with a Biographical Introduction by William Dudley Foulke (Oxford University Press, 1915).
Be Holy! 