Telluris alme Conditor

Earth’s mighty Maker, whose command

The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal

Telluris alme Conditor
Mundi solum qui separans,
Pulsis aquæ molestiis,
Terram dedisti immobilem:
Ut germen aptum proferens,
Fulvis decora floribus,
Fœcunda fructu sisteret,
Pastumque gratum redderet.
Mentis perustæ vulnera
Munda virore gratiæ:
Ut facta fletu diluat,
Motusque pravos atterat.
Jussis tuis obtemperet:
Nullis malis approximet:
Bonis repleri gaudeat,
Et mortis ictum nesciat.
Præsta, Pater piissime,
Patrique compar Unice,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito
Regnans per omne sæculum.

Earth’s mighty Maker, whose command
Raised from the sea the solid land;
And drove each billowy heap away,
And bade the earth stand firm for aye:
That so, with flowers of golden hue,
The seeds of each it might renew;
And fruit-trees bearing fruit might yield,
And pleasant pasture of the field:
Our spirit’s rankling wounds efface
With dewy freshness of Thy grace:
That grief may cleanse each deed of ill,
And o'er each lust may triumph still.
Let every soul Thy law obey,
And keep from every evil way;
Rejoice each promised good to win,
And flee from every mortal sin.
Hear Thou our prayer, Almighty King!
Hear Thou our praises, while we sing,
Adoring with the heavenly host,
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Author: Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation anon, in the Hymnal Noted. There are twenty translations. First line of Original Text: Telluris ingens Conditor. Theme: The work of the third day, viz., the separation of the land from the water, and the creation of every species of plant. As recorded by Moses: Dixit vero Deus: Congregentur aquæ, quæ sub cœlo stint, in locum unum et appareat arida. Et factum est ita. Et vocavit Deus aridam Terram; congregationesque aquarum appellavit Maria. . . . Et ait: Germinet terra herbam virentem et facientem semen et lignum pomiferum, faciens fructum juxta genus suum, cujus semen in semetipso sit super terram. Et factum est ita. Et protulit terra herbam virentem, et facientem semen juxta genus suum, lignumque faciens fructum, et habens unumquodque sementem secundum speciem suam. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum. Et factum est vespere et mane dies tertius (Gen. 1, 9-13).

“Benignant Creator of the world, who didst divide the surface of the earth, and driving off the troubled waters didst firmly establish the land;” Solum, lit., ground, soil.
“That it might bring forth appropriate produce, be adorned with golden flowers, become prolific in fruits, and yield agreeable sustenance.” Decora and fecunda agree with terra, understood. Sisteret, in the sense of existeret. Pastum, food for men and beasts.
“Cleanse by the freshness of Thy grace the wounds of the sin-parched soul, that it may wash away with tears its evil deeds, and suppress sinful emotions.” Munda, imper. of mundare. Virore, viror, oris (from vireo 2, to be fresh, vigorous), freshness, power, vigor. Mens is the subj. of diluat and atterat.
“May it obey Thy commands; may it draw nigh nothing sinful; that it may rejoice to be filled with good, and know not the stroke of death.” Mortis ictus, the stroke of death, i.e., mortal sin. The Original Text, translated above, has actum for ictum.