"Veni Sancte Spiritus" ("Come, Holy Spirit") is the sequentia of the Mass for Pentecost, sung from Whitsunday until the Saturday following, although it is also in many Protestant hymnals. Composed of ten stanzas, this "Golden Sequence," as it's sometimes termed, is—from an hymnologist's perspective, although not a theologian's—slightly odd in being directed entirely to the third Person of the Trinity: most hymns are to the Father or the Son—there's simply more material available on which to base them. General consensus dates the hymn some time between the middle of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The translation below is not mine, but seems decent enough, though non-literal. Although some would chafe at the Elizabethan pronoun usage, it doesn't detract overmuch.
Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
et emitte caelitus
lucis tuae radium.
Holy Spirit, Lord of light,
From the clear celestial height
Thy pure beaming radiance give.
Veni, pater pauperum,
veni, dator munerum,
veni, lumen cordium.
Come, thou Father of the poor,
Come with treasures which endure;
Come, thou light of all that live!
Consolator optime,
dulcis hospes animae,
dulce refigerium.
Thou, of all consolers best,
Thou, the soul's delightful guest,
Dost refreshing peace bestow.
In labore requies,
in aestu temperies,
in fletu solacium.
Thou in toil art comfort sweet,
Pleasant coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O lux beatissima,
reple cordis intima
tuorum fidelium.
Light immortal, light divine,
Visit thou these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill.
Sine tuo numine,
nihil est in homine,
nihil est innoxium.
If thou take thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay;
All his good is turned to ill.
Lava quod est sordidum,
riga quod est aridum,
sana quod est saucium.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour thy dew,
Wash the stains of guilt away.
Flecte quod est rigidum,
fove quod est frigidum,
rege quod est devium.
Bend the stubborn heart and will,
Melt the frozen, warm the chill,
Guide the steps that go astray.
Da tuis fidelibus,
in te confidentibus,
sacrum septenarium.
Thou, on us who evermore
Thee confess and thee adore,
With thy sevenfold gifts descend.
Da virtutis meritum,
da salutis exitum,
da perenne gaudium.
Amen. Alleluia.
Give us comfort when we die,
Give us life with thee on high,
Give us joys that never end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Sources:
- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15342a.htm
- Liner notes for the album Te Deum by Arvo Pärt
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