A solis ortus cardine

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This famous hymn was written by Caelius Sedulius (d c 450) and is used for Lauds during the Christmas season. It is interesting to note that the hymn text, by Caelius Sedulis (5th-century) has the peculiar feature that the stanzas begin with successive letters of the alphabet: A, Beatus, Castae, Domus, Enixa, Foeno, Gaudet, etc., the device being known as: acrostichon.

Musical settings at CPDL

Text and translations

Latin.png 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.

Changes by Pope Urban VIII in 1632 to the Roman Breviary (some incorporated by Palestrina):

1Castae
2Enititur (not in Palestrina)
3Concepit alvo Filium.
4Quem ventre Matris gestiens, (not in Palestrina)
5baptismata clausum senserat (not in Palestrina)
6Et lacte modicus pastus est

English.png English translation 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.

(Supplied by Mick Swithinbank with thanks to Jamie Reid Baxter for much help)

Dutch.png Dutch translation Vanwaar de zon opgaat
tot aan het einde van de aarde
laten wij zingen voor Christus, onze vorst
die geboren is uit de maagd Maria.

German.png German translation Martin Luther Christum wir sollen loben schon,
Der reinen Magd Marien Sohn,
Soweit die liebe Sonne leucht't
Und an aller Welt Ende reicht.