| AETERNE rerum conditor, noctem diemque qui regis, et temporum das tempora, ut alleves fastidium; | MAKER of all, eternal King, who day and night about dost bring: who weary mortals to relieve, dost in their times the seasons give: |
| Praeco diei iam sonat, noctis profundae pervigil, nocturna lux viantibus a nocte noctem segregans.1 | Now the shrill cock proclaims the day, and calls the sun's awakening ray, the wandering pilgrim' guiding light, that marks the watches night by night. |
| Hoc excitatus lucifer solvit polum caligine, hoc omnis erronum chorus2 vias nocendi deserit. | Roused at the note, the morning star heaven's dusky veil uplifts afar: night's vagrant bands no longer roam, but from their dark ways hie them home. |
| Hoc nauta vires colligit pontique mitescunt freta, hoc ipsa petra ecclesiae canente culpam diluit. | The encouraged sailor's fears are o'er, the foaming billows rage no more: Lo! e'en the very Church's Rock melts at the crowing of the cock. |
| Surgamus ergo strenue! Gallus iacentes excitat, et somnolentos increpat, Gallus negantes arguit. | O let us then like men arise; the cock rebukes our slumbering eyes, bestirs who still in sleep would lie, and shames who would their Lord deny. |
| Gallo canente spes redit, aegris salus refunditur, mucro latronis conditur, lapsis fides revertitur. | New hope his clarion note awakes, sickness the feeble frame forsakes, the robber sheathes his lawless sword, faith to fallen is restored. |
| Iesu, labantes respice, et nos videndo corrige, si respicis, lapsus cadunt,3 fletuque culpa solvitur. | Look in us, Jesu, when we fall, and with Thy look our souls recall: if Thou but look, our sins are gone, and with due tears our pardon won. |
| Tu lux refulge sensibus, mentisque somnum discute, te nostra vox primum sonet et ore psallamus tibi.4 | Shed through our hearts Thy piercing ray, our soul's dull slumber drive away: Thy Name be first on every tongue, to Thee our earliest praises sung. |
| Sit, Christe, Rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen. | All laud to God the Father be; all praise, Eternal Son, to Thee; all glory, as is ever meet, to God the Holy Paraclete. Amen. |
| Latin from the Liturgia Horarum, and Latin Hymns, F. A. March, 1894. Translation by W J. Copeland (1804-1885). |
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