Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 (Gabriel Fauré)

French text

Verbe, égal au Très-Haut, notre unique espérance,
Jour éternel de la terre et des cieux;
De la paisible nuit nous rompons le silence,
Divin Sauveur, jette sur nous les yeux!

Répands sur nous le feu de ta grâce puissante,
Que tout l'enfer fuie au son de ta voix;
Dissipe le sommeil d'une âme languissante,
Qui la conduit à l'oubli de tes lois!

O Christ, sois favorable à ce peuple fidèle
Pour te bénir maintenant rassemblé.
Reçois les chants qu'il offre à ta gloire immortelle,
Et de tes dons qu'il retourne comblé!

English translation

Word, equal to the Almighty, our only hope,
Eternal light of the earth and the Heavens;
We break the peaceful night's silence,
Divine Saviour, cast your eyes upon us!

Spread the fire of your mighty grace upon us
May the entire hell flee at the sound of your voice;
Disperse from any slothful soul the drowsiness
Which induces it to forget your laws!

Oh Christ, look with favour upon this faithful people
Which has now gathered to bless you.
Receive its singing, offered to your immortal glory,
And may it leave with the gifts you have bestowed upon it!

English translation

Word of God the most high, our sole hope,
eternal day of the earth and heavens
as we break the silence of the peaceful night
divine saviour, look down upon us.

Imbue us with the fire of thy great mercy
so that hell itself will flee at the sound of your voice
disperse the sleep which leads our languishing souls
to stray from the path of righteousness.

O Christ show your favour to your faithful people
who have come together to worship you
receive the praises that they offer up to your immortal glory
and may they come back laden with the gift of your grace.

English translation

O Word, worthy of the Most High,
our sole hope, eternal day of earth and the heavens,
we break the silence of the peaceful night.
Divine saviour, cast Thine eyes upon us!

Shed the light of Thy mighty grace upon us.
Let all Hell flee at the sound of Thy voice.
Dispel the slumber of a languishing soul
that leads it to the forgetting of Thy laws!

O Christ, be favorable unto this faithful people
now gathered to bless Thee.
Recieve these hymns it offers unto Thine immortal glory
and may it return fulfilled by Thy gifts.

Dutch translation

Woord dat gelijk is aan de Allerhoogste, onze enige hoop
Eeuwig daglicht van aarde en hemelen
Vanuit de vredige nacht verbreken we de stilte
Goddelijke Verlosser, richt Uw blik op ons.

Verspreid onder ons het vuur van Uw machtige genade
Opdat de hel vluchte bij het horen van uw stem
Verjaag de slaap van een kwijnende ziel,
die haar Uw wetten doet vergeten

O Christus, wees het trouwe volk welgezind
Dat nu bijeen is om U te loven
Ontvang de liederen die het aanbiedt
Ter ere van Uw onsterfelijke glorie en Uw gaven
Opdat het weer gelukkig wordt.

German translation
by Peter Gerloff

German poetic translation, compatible to the music

Wort aus Gott vor der Zeit, du Anfang ohne Ende,
das alles schuf und durchdringt und belebt,
zum Lobpreis deiner Macht erheben wir die Hände,
vor dessen Größe alles Sein erbebt.

Ergieß auf uns das Feuer der göttlichen Gnade,
dass Nacht und Schuld vor deiner Stimme fliehn,
und lass nicht zu, dass wir, verirrt auf dunklem Pfade,
uns deinem heiligen Willen entziehn.

Du Quelle aller Weisheit, schenk Liebe und Glauben,
wenn wir vereint deine Gaben erflehn,
und was uns eigne Torheit und Herzenshärte rauben,
lass unterm Strahl deiner Wahrheit erstehn.

Italian translation
by Francesco Pesce

Verbo dell'Onnipotente, nostra unica speranza,
giorno eterno della terra e del cielo;
Noi rompiamo il silenzio della notte pacifica,
Divino Onnipotente, poggia su di noi i tuoi occhi!

Spandi su di noi il fuoco della tua grande misericordia,
fa che tutto l'inferno fugga al suono della tua voce;
Dissipa il sonno di un'anima che langue,
che la conduce all'oblio delle tue leggi!

O Cristo, sii favorevole a questa gente fedele
che si è riunita per benedirti.
Ricevi i canti che offriamo alla tua gloria immortale,
e possano tornare carichi dei tuoi doni!

Italian translation
by Simone Bonetti

Verbo pari all’altissimo,
Nostra unica speranza,
Luce eterna della terra e dei cieli,
Della pacifica notte rompiamo il silenzio,
Divino Salvatore, degnati di guardarci!
Cospargici del fuoco della tua potente grazia,
Che tutto l’inferno fugga al suono della tua voce
Dissipa il sonno di un’anima languida,
Che la induce a dimenticare le tue leggi,
O Cristo, sii benevolo verso questo popolo fedele,
Ora riunito per benedirti,
Accogli i canti che offre alla tua immortale gloria,
E fa che ritorni colmo dei tuoi doni.

Spanish translation
by Manuel Espejo (Colombia)

Palabra, igual al altísimo, nuestra única esperanza,
Día eterno de la tiera y los cielos;
De la apacible noche rompemos el silencio,
¡Divino salvador, posa en nosotros tus ojos!

Pasa sobre nosotros el fuego de tu gracia poderosa,
Que todo el infierno huya al sonido de tu voz;
Disipa el sueño de un alma que languidece,
¡Que se ha ido olvidando de cumplir tus leyes!

Oh, Cristo, se favorable a tu pueblo fiel
Que para bendecirte se ha reunido.
Recibe los cantos que ofrece a tu gloria inmortal,
¡Y de tus dones lleno, retorna a nosotros!