Stabat Mater
It has been suggested that this page be split into 2 or more pages. |
The opening words of two companion hymns, one of which (Stabat Mater Dolorosa) is in liturgical use, while the other (Stabat Mater Speciosa) is not. They celebrate the emotions of Our Lady at the Cross and at the Manger -- Calvary and Bethlehem -- respectively.
Stabat mater dolorosa
The hymn was well known to all classes by the end of the fourteenth century. The Stabat Mater Dolorosa is thought to originate from Franciscan sources in the 13th century. The monk Jacopone da Todi (ca. 1228-1306), Pope Innocentius III (ca. 1160-1216), and the saint Bonaventura (died 1274) are named as the most probable poet, but also the Popes Gregorius and John XII and Bernhard of Clairveaux (died 1135) are mentioned. Of these ascriptions, the only probable ones are those to Innocent III and Jacopone.
Stabat mater speciosa
This is a counterpart version of the poem, which describes the joy of Maria after the birth of Jesus. It is clearly based on one of the Dolorosa versions, but the rhyming is certainly not as good. Nevertheless, the Speciosa dates from the fifteenth century and has also been put to music, for instance by Liszt and Diepenbrock. It was first published in an edition of the Italian poems of Jacopone published at Brescia in 1495 (although Jacopone is not thought to be the author), but the Speciosa fell into almost complete oblivion until A. F. Ozanam transcribed it from a fifteenth-century manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale for his Poètes Franciscains en Italie au Treizième siècle, Paris, 1852.
Musical settings at CPDL
Stabat mater dolorosa (In Latin,unless otherwise indicated)
|
|
Text and translations
Stabat Mater dolorosa
Latin text (Modern Liturgy)
1. Stabat Mater dolorosa 2. Cuius animam gementem 3. O quam tristis et afflicta 4. Quae moerebat et dolebat, 5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, 6. Quis non posset contristari, 7. Pro peccatis suae gentis 8. Vidit suum dulcem natum 9. Eja Mater, fons amoris 10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum 11. Sancta Mater, istud agas, |
12. Tui nati vulnerati, 13. Fac me tecum, pie, flere, 14. Juxta crucem tecum stare, 15. Virgo virginum praeclara, 16. Fac, ut portem Christi mortem 17. Fac me plagis vulnerari, 18. Flammis ne urar succensus 19. Fac me cruce custodiri 20. Quando corpus morietur, |
English translation
1. At the cross her station keeping, 2. Through her soul, of joy bereaved, 3. Oh how sad and sore distressed 4. Christ above in torment hangs; 5. Is there one who would not weep, 6. Can the human heart refrain 7. Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd, 8. For the sins of His own nation, 9. O thou Mother! fount of love! 10. Make me feel as thou hast felt; |
11. Holy Mother! pierce me through; 12. Let me share with thee His pain, 13. Let me mingle tears with thee, 14. By the cross with thee to stay, 15. Virgin of all virgins best, 16. Let me, to my latest breath, 17. Wounded with His every wound, 18. Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, 19. Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, 20. While my body here decays, |
Portuguese translation by Father Ricardo Dias Neto
1. De pé, a mãe dolorosa 2. Na sua alma agoniada 3. Oh! Quão triste e quão aflita 4. Quanta angústia não sentia, 5. Quem não chora vendo isso: 6. Quem haverá que resista 7. Por culpa de sua gente 8. Vê agora o seu amado 9. Faze, ó Mãe, fonte de amor 10. Faze arder meu coração |
11. Ó Santa Mãe dá-me isto, 12. Do teu filho que por mim 13. Oh! Dá-me enquanto viver 14. Junto à cruz eu quero estar 15. Virgem, que às virgens aclara, 16. Traga em mim do Cristo a morte, 17. Por elas seja eu rasgado, 18. No Julgamento consegue 19. Quando do mundo eu partir 20. Quando meu corpo morrer |
French translation
1. Debout, la mère des douleurs se tenait 2. Son âme gémissante, 3. Oh ! qu'elle fut triste et affligée 4. Elle s’affligeait et souffrait, 5. Quel homme ne pleurerait 6. Qui pourrait, sans profonde tristesse, 7. Pour les péchés de ses frères, 8. Elle vit son doux Enfant 9. Ô Mère, ô source d’amour, 10. Faites que mon cœur brûle |
11. Mère sainte, daignez imprimer 12. De votre Enfant blessé 13. Que je pleure avec vous en toute vérité ; 14. Me tenir avec vous auprès de la Croix 15. Vierge la plus noble des vierges, 16. Que je porte en moi la mort du Christ ; 17. Que ses blessures soient miennes ; 18. Qu’enflammé et ardent 19. Que je sois sauvé par la Croix, 20. Et lorsque mon corps devra subir la mort, |
Stabat Mater speciosa
Latin text
(8a, 8b and 13b have no counterpart in the "Dolorosa")
1. Stabat Mater speciosa 2. Cuius animam gaudentem 3. O quam laeta et beata 4. Quae gaudebat et ridebat, 5. Quis est, qui non gauderet, 6. Quis non posset collaetari, 7. Pro peccatis suae gentis 8. Vidit suum dulcem natum 8a. Nati Christus in praesepe 8b. Stabat senex cum puella 9. Eia Mater, fons amoris 10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum |
11. Sancta Mater, istud agas, 13. Fac me tecum congaudere 13a. In me sistat ardor tui 14. Hunc ardorem fac communem, 15. Virgo virginum praeclara, 16. Fac, ut portem pulchrum fortem 17. Fac me tecum satiari, 18. Inflammatus et accensus 19. Fac me nato custodiri 20. Quando corpus morietur, |
Stabat Mater dolorosa
(Medieval English version, as set by John Browne, Richard Davy and William Cornysh)
Latin text
1. Stabat Mater dolorosa 2. Cujus animam gementem 3. O quam tristis et afflicta 4. Quae maerebat et dolebat, 5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, 6. Quis non potest contristari, 7. Eia Mater, fons amoris 8. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum |
9. Stabat Mater, rubens rosa, 10. Et dum stetit generosa 11. O quam gravis illa poena, 12. Color erat non inventus 13. Per haec nata praeamata, 14. Ut nostra, tergens ingrata, |
English translation
The grieving Mother stood weeping beside the cross where her Son was hanging.
Through her weeping soul, compassionate and grieving, a sword passed.
O how sad and afflicted was that blessed Mother of the only-begotten,
who mourned and grieved, seeing and bearing the torment of her glorious child.
Who is it that would not weep, seeing Christ’s Mother in such agony?
Who could not feel compassion on beholding the Holy Mother suffering with her Son?
O Mother, fountain of love, make me feel the power of sorrow, that I may grieve with you.
Grant that my heart may burn in the love of Christ my God, that I may greatly please Him.
The Mother stood, a red rose, weeping beside the cross, seeing Him bear a criminal’s fate who was guilty of no crime.
And as she stood, full of heart, grieving beside her son, the people cried, “Crucify, crucify!”
O how grievous was your pain, Virgin full of sorrows, when you recalled former joys now turned to sadness.
There was no colour in you, Mother, when your Son stood detained, yet content at Satan’s overthrow.
Hence, best-beloved Lady, beseech your Son, who takes away all the sins we have committed, with sweet prayer,
that, wiping away our faults, He might plant grace in us, and fulfil this promise in our eternal rest. Amen.