Veni Sancte Spiritus

Background

Sequence to the Holy Spirit, attributed to Stephen Langton (c. 1160-1228) and to Pope Innocent III (died 1216).

Liturgical use: Sequence for Mass on Pentecost Sunday.

For settings of the antiphon, see Veni sancte Spiritus (Antiphon).

Settings by composers

William Byrd AATTB Guillaume Dufay John Dunstable SATB Gregorian chant Josquin des Prez Huub de Lange SATB (available, under copyright) Alessandro Kirschner SATB, with a few divisi Orlando di Lasso Morten Lauridsen (not available, under copyright) Albin Maschek SATB

Asprilio Pacelli SSAATTBB Christian Prein SATB org Samuel Scheidt SSAATTBB José de Torres SSAT.SATB Traditional SATB Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB.SATB, (vv.1,2a,3a,4a,5) André Vierendeels SATB Adrian Willaert SATB Samuel Webbe SATB

Original text and translations

Latin text 1  Veni Sancte Spiritus et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium. Veni pater pauperum, veni dator munerum, veni lumen cordium. 2  Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium. In labore requies, in aestu temperies, in fletu solacium. 3  O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. Sine tuo numine nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium. 4  Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium. Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium. 5  Da tuis fidelibus in te confidentibus sacrum septenarium. Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium. Amen. Alleluia. Chinese translation 1  天主聖神， 求你降臨， 從高天放射你的光芒。 窮人的慈父！求你降臨！ 恩寵的泉源，求你降臨！ 心靈的真光，求你降臨！ 2  你是施慰的聖神， 你是心靈甘的賓客！ 你是旅途的涼蔭。 在勞苦中，你是憩息； 在酷熱裏，你是清風； 在悲痛時，你是慰藉。 3  你是幸福的真光， 求你照耀我們的心， 充滿我們的心靈深處。 沒有你的助佑， 人便一無所有， 一無是處。 4  求你洗淨我們的污穢， 滋潤我們的憔悴， 醫治我們的創傷。 求你折服頑固的人， 溫暖冷酷的心， 引導迷途的人。 5  凡是信賴你的人， 求你賜予聖神七恩。 求你賜我們修德立功， 善生福終， 永享天福。 亞孟。

English translation 1  Come, Holy Spirit, and send down from heaven the ray of your light. Come, father of the poor, come, giver of gifts, come, light of the hearts. 2  Best consoler, sweet host of the soul, sweet refresher. Rest in work, cooling in heat, comfort in crying. 3  O most blessed light, fill the innermost hearts of your faithful. Without your power nothing is in man, nothing innocent. 4  Clean what is dirty, water what is dry, heal what is wounded. Bend what is rigid, heat what is cold, lead what has gone astray. 5  Grant to your faithful who trust in you, your sevenfold holy gift. Grant us the reward of virtue, grant us final salvation, grant us eternal joy. German translation 1  Komm, Heiliger Geist, und sende vom Himmel den Strahl deines Lichts. Komm, Vater der Armen, komm, Spender der Gaben, komm, Licht der Herzen. 2  Bester Tröster, süßer Gastfreund der Seele, süße Erquickung. Ruhe in Arbeit, Kühlung in Hitze, Trost im Weinen. 3  Oh seligstes Licht, erfülle zutiefst die Herzen deiner Gläubigen. Ohne deine Gottesmacht ist nichts im Menschen, nichts unversehrt. 4  Reinige, was schmutzig ist, tränke, was vertrocknet ist, heile, was verwundet ist. Beuge, was starr ist, wärme, was kalt ist, lenke, was verirrt ist. 5  Gib deinen Gläubigen, die auf dich vertrauen, die sieben heiligen Gaben. Gib den Lohn der Tugend, gib ein Ende in Erlösung, gib immerwährende Freude.

External links

• Edward Caswall's verse translation (1892)