MAY the Holy Ghost
On us shed His heav’nly grace!
2a. And for His pure indwelling
Make in our hearts a holy place,
2b. By purging and expelling
From thence all vices and disgrace.
3a. Spirit of kindness,
True Enlightener of men!
3b. Banish our blindness,
Clear the gloomy shades of sin.
4a. Chaste Friend of wisdom, e’er appointing
Prudent thoughts to fill the mind,
4b. In mercy by Thy blest anointing
Make our thoughts to Thine aligned.
5a. Thou Spirit of cleansing, for whose pow’r
No shame or wickedness can stay,
5b. The eye of our inward Adam scour,
Whatever impairs it cleanse away.
6a. Spirit Holy,
So grant us to espy
God the Father high,
6b. Who may solely
By such a heart be seen
As is pure and clean.
7a. The prophets by Thee were driven
As the heralds of heaven
To sing the glorious Savior’s birth;
7b. Th’ Apostles, by Thine inspiring
As Christ’s army untiring
His banner brought o’er all the earth.
8a. When in creation
God all did fashion—
Earth and heaven
And the oceans by His Word—
8b. Then Thou extending
Thy grace impending,
Pow’r was given,
And upon the deep outpoured.
9a. Thy breath of living
To waters giving,
Thou dost life endue;
9b. By breezes tender,
Men Thou dost render
Spirits live and new.
10a. Thou, O Lord, hast united
Men once divided
In their rites and languages,
10b. Called them from evil pastures
O Best of Masters,
Back to proper, godly praise.
11a. Wherefore, Spirit all-gracious,
Be Thou propitious,
Hear Thy servants who implore Thee here,
11b. For without Thee, our praying
Empty and straying,
Is unworthy of God’s holy ear.
12a. Thou who didst embrace
Saints of ev’ry nation,
With the heav’nly grace
Of Thy pure exhalation,—
Throughout time a host to raise—
12b. Thou didst on this day
To th’ Apostles’ station
Wondrous gifts convey,
Known to no generation,
Without like in means and ways,
13. Conferring
On this day such glorious praise.
(14. May the Holy Ghost
On us shed His heav’nly grace.)
Translation © 2011, 2014 Matthew Carver.
LATIN
1. Sancti Spiritus
adsit nobis gratia:
2a. Qui corda nostra sibi
faciat habitaculum.
2b. Expulsis inde cunctis
vitiis spiritabilis,
3a. Spiritus alme
Illustrator hominum,
3b. Horridas nostrae
mentis purga tenebras,
4a. Amator sancte sensatorum,
semper cogitatuum.
4b. Infunde unctionem tuam
clemens nostris sensibus.
5a. Tu purificator omnium
flagitiorum Spiritus.
5b. Purifica nostri oculum
interioris hominis.
6a. Ut videri
supremus Genitor
possit a nobis.
6b. Mundi cordis
quem soli cernere
possunt oculi.
7a. Prophetas tu inspirasti,
ut praeconia Christi
praecinuissent inclyta.
7b. Apostolos confortasti,
uti trophaeum Christi
per totum mundum veherent.
8a. Quando machinam
per verbum suum
fecit Deus
coeli, terrae, marium.
8b. Tu super aquas
foturus eas,
numen tuum
expandisti Spiritus.
9a. Tu animabus
vivificandis
aquas foecundas.
9b. Tu aspirando
das spiritales
esse homines.
10a. Tu divisum per linguas
mundum et ritus
adunasti, Domine.
10b. Idolatras ad cultum
Dei revocas
Magistrorum optime.
11a. Ergo nos supplicantes
tibi exaudi
propitius sancte Spiritus.
11b. Sine quo preces omnes
cassae creduntur
et indignae Dei auribus.
12a. Tu qui omnium
saeculorum sanctos,
Tui numinis,
docuisti instinctu
amplectendo, Spiritus.
12b. Ipse hodie
Apostolos Christi
donans munere
insolito et cunctis
inaudito seculis.
13. Hunc diem
gloriosum fecisti.
14. Sancti Spiritus adsit
nobis gratia.
