O admirabile commercium

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General information

First antiphon at Vespers of the Octave of Christmas.

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Text and translations

Latin.png Latin text

O admirabile commercium!
Creator generis humani,
animatum corpus sumens,
de Virgine nasci dignatus est:
et procedens homo sine semine,
largitus est nobis suam Deitatem.

German.png German translation

O wunderbarer Tausch!
Der den Menschen erschuf,
nimmt menschliches Leben an
und wird aus der Jungfrau geboren.
Von keinem Mann gezeugt, kommt er in die Welt
und schenkt uns sein göttliches Leben.

English.png English translation

O admirable exchange:
the creator of human-kind,
taking on a living body
was worthy to be born of a virgin,
and, coming forth as a human without seed,
has given us his deity in abundance.

Common Poetic Translation:
O wonderful gift:
the creator of the human race,
taking our flesh upon him,
deigns to be born of a virgin;
and, coming forth without seed of man,
bestows his Divinity upon us.

Another translation
O wondrous exchange:
the Creator of humankind,
taking upon him a living body,
vouchsafed to be born of a Virgin
and, without seed, becoming a man,
hath made us partakers of his Divinity.

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