Exultet orbis gaudiis

Now let the earth

The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal

Exultet orbis gaudiis:
Cœlum resultet laudibus:
Apostolorum gloriam
Tellus et astra concinunt.
Vos sæculorum judices,
Et vera mundi lumina:
Votis precamur cordium,
Audite voces supplicum.
Qui templa c&oalig;li clauditis,
Serasque verbo solvitis,
Nos a reatu noxios
Solvi jubete, quæsumus.
Præcepta quorum protinus
Languor salusque sentient:
Sanate mentes languidas;
Augete nos virtutibus.
Ut, cum redibit arbiter
In fine Christus s&selig;culi,
Nos sempterni gaudii
Concedat esse compotes.
Patri, simulque Filio,
Tibique sancta Spiritus,
Sicut fuit, sit jugiter
Sæclum per omne Gloria.

Now let the earth with joy resound,
And heaven the chant re-echo round;
Nor heaven nor earth too high can raise
The great Apostles’ glorious praise.
O ye who, throned in glory dread,
Shall judge the living and the dead,
Lights of the world forevermore!
To you the suppliant prayer we pour.
Ye close the sacred gates on high;
At your command apart they fly:
Oh! loose for us the guilty chain
We strive to break, and strive in vain.
Sickness and health your voice obey;
At your command they go or stay:
From sin’s disease our souls restore;
In good confirm us more and more.
So when the world is at its end,
And Christ to judgment shall descend,
May we be called those joys to see
Prepared from all eternity.
Praise to the Father, with the Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One;
As ever was in ages past,
And so shall be while ages last.

Author: Unknown, 10^th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are ten translations. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Vespers and Lauds. First line of Original Text: Exultet cœlum laudibus. For the hymns of the Apostles and Evangelists in Eastertide, see Hymns 63 and 64.

“Let the earth exult with joy, let the heavens re-echo with praise; earth and heaven together sing the glory of the Apostles.”
“Ye judges of mankind and true lights of the world, we beseech you with the yearnings of our hearts: give ear to the prayers of your suppliants.” Judices: The Apostles are to judge the world (cf. Matt. 19, 28). Lumina: Vos estis lux mundi (Matt. 5, 14). They were to enlighten by their doctrine a world sunk in the darkness of sin and error.
“Ye who close the heavenly mansions, and with a word can unfasten their bolts, command, we beseech you, that we sinners be freed from our guilt.” Sera, a bar or bolt for fastening a door. Quæcumque alligaveritis super terram, erunt ligata et in cœlo: et quæcumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in cœlo (Matt. 18, 18). Nos: constr.—Jubete, nos noxios solvi a reatu.
“Ye whose commands sickness and health forthwith obey, heal our languishing souls, enrich us with virtues.”
“That when Christ shall come again, as Judge, at the end of the world, He may grant that we become possessed of eternal happiness.”