A solis ortus cardine

Latin text

A solis ortus cardine
Ad usque terrae limitem
Christum canamus Principem,
Natum Maria Virgine.

Beatus auctor saeculi
Servile corpus induit,
Ut carne carnem liberans
Non perderet quod condidit.

Clausae¹ parentis viscera
Caelestis intrat gratia;
Venter puellae baiulat
Secreta quae non noverat.

Domus pudici pectoris
Templum repente fit Dei;
Intacta nesciens virum
Verbo concepit Filium.²

Enixa³ est puerpera
Quem Gabriel praedixerat,
Quem matris alvo gestiens⁴
Clausus Ioannes senserat.⁵

Foeno iacere pertulit,
Praesepe non abhorruit,
Parvoque lacte pastus est⁶
Per quem nec ales esurit.

Gaudet chorus caelestium
Et Angeli canunt Deum,
Palamque fit pastoribus
Pastor, Creator omnium.

Iesu, tibi sit gloria,
Qui natus es de Virgine,
Cum Patre et almo Spiritu,
In sempiterna saecula. Amen.

English translation
Supplied by Mick Swithinbank with thanks to Jamie Reid Baxter for much help

From the rising of the sun
to the ends of the earth,
let us sing of Christ the Prince,
born of the Virgin Mary.

The blessed creator of the world
put on a servant’s body,
so that, liberating the flesh through taking flesh,
he would not lose what he had made.

The virgin mother's belly
is filled with heavenly grace;
the girl’s womb carries
secrets which she has not known.

The modest dwelling of her body
becomes God’s new temple;
untouched, not knowing a man,
at a word she conceived the Son in her womb.

By her birth pangs she brought forth
the one whom Gabriel had foretold,
and whom the Baptist, leaping within the womb,
had recognised as Lord.

He consented to lie in the hay;
he did not shrink from the manger;
and with little milk he was fed,
who does not allow even the birds to hunger.

The heavenly chorus rejoices,
and the angels sing God's praise,
and to the shepherds is now made known
the Shepherd who is the creator of all.

Jesus, to you be glory,
who are born of a virgin,
with the Father and the loving Spirit,
for eternal ages. Amen.