Te splendor et virtus Patris

O Jesu! Life-spring of the soul!

The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal

Te splendor et virtus Patris,
Te vita, Jesu, cordium,
Ab ore qui pendent tuo,
Laudamus inter Angelos.
Tibi mille densa millium
Ducum corona militat:
Sed explicat victor crucem
Michael salutis signifer.
Draconis hic dirum caput
In ima pellit tartara,
Ducemque cum rebellibus
Cœlesti ab arce fulminat.
Contra ducem superbiæ
Sequamur hunc nos principem,
Ut detur ex Agni throno
Nobis corona gloriæ.
Patri, simulque Filio,
Tibique sancte Spiritus,
Sicut fuit, sit jugiter
Sæclum per omne gloria.

O Jesu! Life-spring of the soul!
The Father’s power and glory bright!
Thee with the Angels we extol;
From Thee they draw their life and light.
Thy thousand thousand hosts are spread
Embattled o’er the azure sky;
But Michael bears Thy standard dread,
And lifts the mighty Cross on high.
He in that Sign the rebel powers
Did with their Dragon Prince expel;
And hurled them from the heavens’ high towers,
Down like a thunderbolt to hell.
Grant us, with Michael, still, O Lord,
Against the prince of pride to fight;
So may a crown be our reward,
Before the Lamb’s pure throne of light.
To God the Father, with the Son
And Holy Paraclete, with Thee,
As evermore hath been before,
Be glory through eternity.

Author: Ascribed to Rabanus Maurus (776-856). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are eighteen translations. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Vespers and Matins. First line of Original Text: Tibi Christe splendor Patris. In this and in the following hymn the Church sings the praises not only of St. Michael but of all the holy Angels. Read the article on Michael the Archangel, in the Cath. Encycl. At the end of the article there is an account given of Michaelmas Day. There are separate articles on each of the Angels mentioned in the following hymn (No. 135).

In the revision of 1632, this hymn, according to the Dict. of Hymnology was “recast greatly for the worse.” The Original Text with J. M. Neale’s translation is given below.

“Thee, O splendor and power of the Father, Thee, O Jesus, the life of our hearts, we praise in the presence of the Angels who hang upon the words of Thy mouth.” Pendent, to regard with close attention.
“It is for Thee this dense host of countless thousands of princes engage in battle: but it is the victorious Michael, the standard-bearer of salvation, who unfurls the standard of the Cross.” Corona, a crown, also an assembly. Mille is sometimes used in the sense of countless, innumerable, infinite. As to the number of Angels, Cf. Matt. 26, 53; Apoc. 5, 11. For the “great battle in heaven,” Cf. Apoc. 12, 7-9.
“He casts the direful head of the dragon into the depths of hell, and hurls headlong from the heavenly citadel the prince together with his rebels.” Hic, Michael. Of Satan’s fall Our Lord said: Videbam satanam sicut fulgur de cœlo cadentem (Luke 10, 18).
“Let us follow this leader against the prince of pride, that a crown of glory may be given to us from the throne of the Lamb.”

Tibi Christe splendor Patris,
Vita, virtus cordium,
In conspectu Angelorum
Votis, voce psallimus:
Alternantes concrepando
Melos damus vocibus.
Collaudamus venerantes
Omnes cœli principes,
Sed præcipue primatem
Cœlestis exercitus
Michaelem, in virtute
Conterentem zabulum.
Quo custode procul pelle,
Rex Christe piissime,
Omne nefas inimici:
Mundo corde et corpore
Paradiso redde tuo
Nos sola clementia.
Gloriam Patri melodis
Personemus vocibus:
Gloriam Christo canamus,
Gloriam Paraclito:
Qui trinus, et unus Deus
Exstat ante sæcula.

Thee, O Christ, the Father’s spendor,
Life and virtue of the heart,
In the presence of the Angels
Sing we now with tuneful art,
Meetly in alternate chorus
Bearing our responsive part.
Thus we praise with veneration
All the armies of the sky;
Chiefly him, the warrior Primate,
Of celestial chivalry,
Michael, who in princely virtue
Cast Abaddon from on high.
By whose watchful care repelling—
King of everlasting grace—
Every ghostly adversary,
All things evil, all things base,
Grant us of Thine only goodness
In Thy Paradise a place.
Laud and honor to the Father,
Laud and honor to the Son,
Laud and honor to the Spirit,
Ever Three, and ever One,
Consubstantial, co-eternal,
While unending ages run.

This is the Original Text of the preceding hymn. Translation by J. M. Neale. Meter: Trochaic tetrameter catalectic. The lines are here divided at the caesura.