Ascendit Christus hodie Alleluia Alleluia (…Sursum ad Patrem gloriae)

Here is my translation of the Latin pia cantio / Bendicamus hymn for the Ascension, “Ascendit Christus hodie / Sursum ad Patrem gloriae” (Anon., 15th c.?), in ELGB #154, which will also serve for my translation of the German version, #155, since it is very close to the Latin. Fischer finds it in the Low German Magdeburg Gsb 1584 titled “A Children’s Hymn of the Ascension of Christ,” where the Latin stanzas are accompanied by German counterparts beginning “Gefaren is de hillige Christ, Alle, Alle…” It is found in High German in the Essen Gsb 1614, Lunenburg 1635, etc. It should be distinguished, naturally, from the Easter hymn “Surrexit Christus hodie” as well as from the Ascension hymn “Caelos ascendit hodie”; further, from the similarly beginning “Ascendit Christus hodie / Super caelos Rex gloriae” which I find in Vopelius’ Neu Leipziger Gsb 1684, p. 380ff., and which appears in the Buffalo Synod hymnal as #154.  For the melody of our present hymn, that hymnal appoints either “Puer natus in Bethlehem” or “Erstanden ist der heilge Christ,” though the indicated half-Alleluia full-Alleluia after each line does not seem to match any available versions. The Benedicamus/Gratias in stanzas 8–9 is not rendered with clarity by the High German translation.

 

 

 

TODAY did Christ ascend the height:
Alle- Alleluia!
Up to the glorious Father’s right.
Alle- Alleluia!

He by the cross’s agony:
Alle- Alleluia!
Made naught the world’s iniquity.
Alle- Alleluia!

3 So did He love our wretched race:
Alle- Alleluia!
He hath embraced us men in grace.
Alle- Alleluia!

4 So to the glorious Victor now:
Alle- Alleluia!
All pow’rs as to the Father bow.
Alle- Alleluia!

5 And for us lowly mortal men:
Alle- Alleluia!
He intercedeth now in heav’n.
Alle- Alleluia!

6 Why stand, ye men of Galilee:
Alle- Alleluia!
And gaze at heaven longingly?
Alle- Alleluia!

7 The Lord whose going ye have seen:
Alle- Alleluia!
Some day from heav’n shall come again.
Alle- Alleluia!

8 Now on this mighty triumph sing:
Alle- Alleluia!
BLESS WE THE LORD, our heav’nly King.
Alle- Alleluia!

9 Praised be the Holy Trinity:
Alle- Alleluia!
THANKS BE TO GOD eternally!
Alle- Alleluia!

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

LATIN

Adscendit Christus hodie,
Halle-Halleujah,
sursum ad Patrem gloriae,
Halle-Halleujah.

2 Qui morte crucis horrida,
Halle-Halleujah,
mundi delevit crimina,
Halle-Halleujah.

3 Amore tanto miseros,
Halle-Halleujah,
complexus est nos homines,
Halle-Halleujah.

4 Nunc ergo victor inclytus,
Halle-Halleujah,
conregnat Patri similis,
Halle-Halleujah.

5 Atque pro nobis miseris,
Halle-Halleujah,
intercedit mortalibus
Halle-Halleujah.

6 O Galilaei homines,
Halle-Halleujah,
in coelum quid adspicitis,
Halle-Halleujah.

7 Hinc ut migravit Dominus,
Halle-Halleujah,
olim redibit coelitus,
Halle-Halleujah.

8 In hoc triumpho maximo,
Halle-Halleujah,
Benedicamus Domino,
Halle-Halleujah.

9 Laudetur sancta Trinitas,
Halle-Halleujah
Deo dicamus gratias,
Halle-Halleujah.

 

GERMAN

Gefahren ist der heil'ge Christ,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
zum Vater, des all' Ehre ist,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

2 Der durch des Creuzes bittren Tod,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
die ganze Welt erlöset hat.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

3 Sehr hoch Er uns geliebet hat,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
uns Elende aus lauter Gnad.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

4 Drum ist Er nun dem Vater gleich,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
regiert samt Ihm im Himmelreich.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

5 Da Er uns vor des Vaters Thron,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
verbittet, daß Er unser schon'.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

6 Ihr Galiläer gehet fort,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
was steht ihr hie an diesem Ort?
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

7 Als Er zum Himmel fahren ist,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
also sein letzte Zukunft ist.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

8 Solch Himmelfahren thut uns wohl,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
drum sind wir Trost- und Freudenvoll.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

9 Lob sei der heil'ge Dreieinigkeit,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
von nun an bis in Ewigkeit.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

 

Exultandi et laetandi tempus est

Here is my translation of the Easter Benedicamus trope “Exultandi et laetandi” (or more often “Exultemus et laetemur”), as given in H. Bonnus, Hymni et Sequentiae (1559), where it is appointed actually to be sung during Communion, perhaps because of the similarity to the paschal Communion which alludes to the same text. Briefest examination of the text shows that it is originally a Benedicamus hymn sung in place of or adjacent to the Benedicamus of the Mass (“Benedicamus Domino.” R. “Deo gratias.”), since it contains or refers to these words in the final verses. The melody here presented by Bonnus differs somewhat from the comparatively reduced Vatican edition (Liber Usualis pp. 1931 ff., where it begins with our verse 2: "Exsultemus et laetemur hodie"). It follows the Benedicamus tone (which is to say, deriving from Kyrie fons bonitatis for festivals) in mode III, but also the alternate tone in mode V, which in the Liber Usu. is termed "according to more common usage." Thus it combines both melodies, unifying them by transposing the ending back up to mode III.

’Tis the time for joy and gladness, for now Christ,
Our passover Lamb, for us is sacrificed.
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

2. Let us all rejoice this day, this day be glad,
For this day a day of gladness shall be had,
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

3. To the sepulchre the women early came,
Where they heard the angel answer and exclaim:
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

4. “Why seek ye the living here among the dead?”
He is risen as unto the Twelve He said.”
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

5. Therefore at the end of this festivity,
LET US BLESS THE LORD, His servants now set free.
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

6. Since He hath our liberty to us restored,
LET US all GIVE THANKS UNTO our GOD and Lord.
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

Translation © 2014 Matthew Carver.

LATIN
1. Exultandi et laetandi tempus est,
Pascha nostrum immolatus agnus est.
  Alleluia, Resurrexit Dominus.

2. Exultemus et laetemur hodie
Dies iste, dies est laeticiae. | Alleluia. Res.

3. Ad sepulchrum mulieres veniunt,
Responsum ab Angelo recipiunt. | Alleluia. Res.

4. In sepulchro quem dolentes queritis,
Surrexit sicut praedixit discipulis. | Alleluia. Res.

5. In hoc ergo jubilaei termino,
Servus liber benedicat Domino. | Alleluia. Res.

6. Cum sit ergo restituta libertas,
Omnes Deo referamus gratias. | Alleluia. Res.