Part I
The Meditations
Printed 252 · 253
Greek
1ΜΕΛΕΤΗ Α'.
2ΠΕΡΙ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΡΙΣΕΩΣ.
3ΠΑΤΕΡ ἄναρχε, Υἱὲ μονογενὴς,
4Πνεῦμα ζωοποιοῦν,
5οἰκτίρμων, ἐλεήμων, μακρόθυμος,
6πολυέλεος, πολυεύσπλαγχνος,
7ὁ τοὺς δικαίους ἀγαπῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐλεῶν,
8ὁ παράγων ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ παρέχων αἰτήματα,
9Θεὸς μετανοούντων,
10Σωτὴρ ἁμαρτανόντων·
11Ἥμαρτον ἐναντίον σου, Κύριε,
12Καὶ οὕτω καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησα.
13Ἔα, ἔα. Φεῦ, φεῦ.
14Πῶς ἐδελεαζόμην ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας;
15Πῶς ἐμίσησα παιδείαν;
16Καὶ οὐκ ηὐλαβήθην, οὔτ' ᾐδεόμην,
17τὸ ἀκατάληπτον τῆς δόξης,
18τὸ αἰδέσιμον τῆς παρουσίας,
19τὸ φοβερὸν τῆς δυνάμεως,
20τὸ ἀκριβὲς τῆς δικαιοσύνης,
21τὸ προσφιλὲς τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης.
22Ἐπικαλέσομαι, εἴτις μοι ὑπακούσεται,
23Εἰς τίνα ἀγγέλων ἁγίων ὄψομαι;
24Ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος!
25Τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου;
1MEDITATIO PRIMA.
2JUDICII EXTREMI.
3PATER principio carens, Fili unigenite,
4Spiritus vivifice,
5Clemens, misericors, longanimis,
6Multæ misericordiæ, multorum bonorum viscerum,[*Ex.* xxxiv. 6.]
7Qui justos diligis, et peccatoribus misereris,
8Qui transis delicta, et largiris petita,
9Deus pœnitentium,
10Servator peccantium;
11Peccavi Tibi, Domine,
12Et sic et sic feci,Jos. vii. 20.
13Ah, ah! Vah, vah!
14Quomodo illectus sum a propria concupiscentia?Jac. i. 14.
15Quomodo detestatus sum disciplinam?Pro. v. 12.
16Neque reveritus sum, neque extimui,
17Incomprehensibilitatem gloriæ,
18Venerabilitatem præsentiæ,
19Potentiam tremendam,
20Exquisitam justitiam,
21Bonitatem amabilem.
22Vocabo ergo, si est qui mihi respondeat,
23Ad quem Angelorum sanctorum convertar?Job. v. 1.
24Infelix ego homo!
25Quis me liberabit de corpore mortis hujus?Rom. vii. 24.
English
1MEDITATION I.
2OF THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.
3O FATHER without beginning, O only-begotten Son,
4O quickening Spirit,
5pitiful, merciful, longsuffering,
6of great mercy, of many tender compassions,
7who lovest the righteous, and hast mercy on sinners,
8who passest over sins, and grantest petitions,
9God of them that repent,
10Saviour of them that sin;
11I have sinned before thee, O Lord,
12and thus and thus have I done.
13Ah, ah! alas, alas!
14How was I enticed by mine own lust?
15How did I hate instruction?
16And I neither reverenced, nor stood in awe of,
17the incomprehensibleness of thy glory,
18the awfulness of thy presence,
19the terribleness of thy power,
20the exactness of thy justice,
21the loveliness of thy goodness.
22I will call, if there be any that will answer me;
23to which of the holy angels shall I look?
24O wretched man that I am!
25Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Printed 254 · 255
Greek
1ὡς φοβερὰ ἡ κρίσις σου, Κύριε;
2τιθεμένων τῶν θρόνων,
3τῶν Ἀγγέλων παρισταμένων,
4τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰσαγομένων,
5τῶν βίβλων ἀνεῳγμένων,
6τῶν ἔργων ἐρευνωμένων,
7τῶν λογισμῶν
8τῶν κρυπτῶν τοῦ σκότους } ἐξεταζομένων.
9ποία κρίσις ἔσται ἐν ἐμοί;
10τίς μου τὴν φλόγα κατασβέσει;
11τίς μου τὸ σκότος καταλάμψει;
12εἰ μὴ σὺ ἐλεήσῃς με.
13Κύριε, ὡς φιλάνθρωπος,
14Δάκρυα δός μοι,
15δὸς μυρία, δὸς σήμερον.
16Τότε γὰρ δικαστὴς ἀδέκαστος,
17τὸ βῆμα φρικῶδες,
18ἡ ἀπολογία ἀπροφάσιστος,
19οἱ ἔλεγχοι ἄφευκτοι,
20ἡ τιμωρία ἀπότομος,
21ἡ γέεννα ἀτελεύτητος,
22οἱ Ἄγγελοι ἀνελεήμονες,
23ὁ ᾅδης πλατύνων τὸ στόμα,
24ὁ ποταμὸς πυρὸς συρόμενος,
25πυρὸς ἀσβέστου,
26τὸ δεσμωτήριον σκοτεινὸν,
27τὸ σκότος ἀφεγγὲς,
28ἀνθρακώδεις αἱ κλῖναι,
29ὁ σκώληξ ἀκοίμητος,
30τὰ δεσμὰ ἄλυτα,
1Quam tremendum est judicium tuum, Domine!
2Positis Thronis,
3Adstantibus Angelis,
4Introductis hominibus,
5Apertis libris,
6Investigatis operibus,
7Indagatis cogitationibus,
8Manifestatis tenebrarum occultis.
9Quale judicium erit in me?
10Quis flammam meam restinguet?
11Quis tenebras meas illustrabit?
12Nisi Tu mei fueris misertus.
13Domine, sicut es hominum amans,
14Lacrymas da mihi,
15Da plurimas, da præsentes.
16Tunc enim Judex incorruptus,
17Tribunal horrendum,
18Defensio sine excusatione,
19Argumenta inevitabilia,
20Supplicium asperum,
21Gehenna sempiterna,
22Angeli immites,
23Infernum dilatans os,
24Flumen ignis stridens,
25Ignis qui non extinguitur,
26Carcer tenebrosus,
27Tenebræ prorsus exsortes luminis,
28Reclinatoria e prunis,
29Vermiculus irrequietus,
30Vincula indissolubilia,
English
1how fearful is thy judgement, O Lord!
2when the thrones are set,
3the Angels stand by,
4men are brought in,
5the books are opened,
6the works are searched out,
7the thoughts,
8the hidden things of darkness, } are examined.
9what judgement shall there be upon me?
10who shall quench my flame?
11who shall lighten my darkness?
12if thou have not mercy upon me.
13O Lord, as thou art the lover of men,
14give me tears,
15give ten thousand, give them this day.
16For then the Judge is unbribable,
17the judgement-seat terrible,
18the defence without excuse,
19the convictions inescapable,
20the punishment severe,
21the hell unending,
22the Angels without pity,
23Hades opening wide his mouth,
24the river of fire streaming down,
25of fire unquenchable,
26the prison-house dark,
27the darkness without a beam,
28the beds of glowing coal,
29the worm unsleeping,
30the bonds indissoluble,
Printed 256 · 257
Greek
1τὸ χάος ἀμετρητὸν,
2ἀνυπέρβατον τὸ τεῖχος,
3ὁ κλαυθμὸς ἀπαραμύθητος,
4Οὐδεὶς
5{ παριστάμενος,
6συνήγορος,
7ἐξαρπάζων.
8Ἀλλὰ μετανοῶ, Κύριε, ὦ Κύριε, μετανοῶ.
9Βοήθει σὺ τῷ μου ἀμετανοήτῳ,
10καὶ μᾶλλόν ἔτι καὶ μᾶλλον
11κατάνυξον, διάρρηξον,
12σύντριψον τὴν καρδίαν μου.
13Ἰδοὺ, Κύριε, ὅτι ἀγανακτῶ
14ἐμαυτῷ αὐτὸς,
15διὰ τὸ
16{ ἀνόητον,
17ἀνόνητον,
18βλαβερὸν,
19καὶ ἐπικίνδυνον, } τοῦ πάθους·
20Ὅτι βδελύττομαι ἐμαυτὸν,
21διὰ τὸ
22{ ἄτοπον,
23ἄσχημον, καὶ δυσειδὲς,
24κίβδηλον,
25ἐπαίσχυντον,
26καὶ ἐπονείδιστον
27Ὅτι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἡ ἐντροπή μου κατεναντίον μου,
28καὶ ἡ αἰσχύνη τοῦ προσώπου μου ἐκάλυψέ με.
29Ἔα, φεῦ, φεῦ·
30Οἴμοι· ἕως πότε;
31Ἰδοὺ, Κύριε, ὅτι διακρίνω αὐτὸς ἐμαυτὸν,
32ἄξιον τῆς αἰωνίου κολάσεως,
33καὶ μὴν καὶ πάντων δυσχερῶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου.
1Chaos immensurabile,
2Murus quem transgredi non possumus,
3Clamor inconsolabilis,
4Nullus qui
5{ assistat,
6patrocinetur,
7liberet.
8Sed pœnitet, Domine, Domine, pœnitet.
9Adjuva impœnitentiam meam,
10et magis adhuc magisque
11Compunge, scinde,
12contere cor meum.
13Ecce, Domine, quod indignor
14egomet mihi,2 Cor. vii. 11.
15propter
16{ stultum,Luc. xxiii. 34.
17inutile,Psal. lxxiii. 22.
18nocivum,1 Tim. vi. 9.
19et periculosum,Is. xxvi. 11. } desiderium carnis meæ
20Quod abhorreo ipse me,Job. xlii. 6.
21propter
22{ absurditatem,
23turpitudinem,
24vilitatem } desiderii,
25confusione
26opprobrio } dignam;
27Quod tota die verecundia mea contra me est,
28et confusio faciei cooperuit me.Psal. xliv. 15.
29Ah! Vah, vah!
30Hei mihi! usque quo?
31Ecce, Domine, quod dijudico egomet me
32Reum æterni supplicii,
33Etiam et omnium difficultatum hujus mundi.
English
1the gulf immeasurable,
2the wall that none can pass,
3the weeping that none can comfort,
4None that
5{ standeth by,
6pleadeth,
7snatcheth away.
8But I repent, O Lord, O Lord, I repent.
9Help thou mine impenitence,
10and yet more and more
11prick, rend,
12break my heart in pieces.
13Behold, O Lord, that I am indignant
14with mine own self,
15because of the
16{ senselessness,
17profitlessness,
18hurtfulness,
19and peril, } of the passion;
20Because I abhor myself,
21because of the
22{ strangeness,
23unseemliness and deformity,
24baseness } of the desire,
25a thing of shame,
26and of reproach:
27Because all the day long my confusion is before me,
28and the shame of my face hath covered me.
29Ah, alas, alas!
30Woe is me! how long?
31Behold, O Lord, that I myself judge myself
32worthy of eternal punishment,
33yea, and of all the hardships of this world.
Printed 258 · 259
Greek
1Ἰδοὺ ἐμὲ, Κύριε, αὐτοκατάκριτον,
2ἰδοῦ, Κύριε, καὶ μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κρίσιν
3μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου.
4Καὶ νῦν, Κύριε,
5ταπεινοῦμαι ὑπὸ τὴν κραταιάν σου χεῖρα,
6κάμπτω σοι, Κύριε, τὰ γόνατα,
7πίπτω ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,
8ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου.
9Παρελθέτω ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο.
10διαπεταννύω πρὸς σὲ τὰς χεῖράς μου,
11τύπτω εἰς τὸ στῆθός μου,
12εἰς τὸν μηρόν.
13Ἐκ βαθέων κράζει σοι ἡ ψυχή μου,
14ὡς γῆ ἄνυδρός σοι,
15καὶ πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου,
16καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντός μου.
17Κύριε, εἰσάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς μου.
1Ecce me, Domine, proprio judicio condemnatum,Tit. iii. 11.
2Ecce, et, O Domine, ne intres Tu in judicium cum servo
3tuo.Psal. cxliii. 2.
4Et nunc, Domine,
5Humilior sub potenti manu tua,1 Pet. v. 6.
6Flecto genua ad Te, Domine,Eph. iii. 14.
7Procido in terram,
8in faciem meam.
9Transeat a me calix iste.Matt. xxvi. 39.
10Expando manus meas ad Te.Psal. cxliii. 6.
11Percutio { pectus / femur } meum.Luc. xviii. 13. — Jer. xxxi. 19.
12De profundis clamat ad Te anima mea,Psal. cxxx. 1.
13Sicut terra sine aqua tibi,Psal. cxliii. 6.
14et omnia ossa mea,[*Psal.* xxxv. 10.]
15et omnia quæ intra me sunt.Psal. ciii. 1.
16Domine, exaudi vocem meam.[*Psal.* lxi. 1.]
English
1Behold me, O Lord, self-condemned;
2behold, O Lord, and enter not into judgement
3with thy servant.
4And now, O Lord,
5I humble myself under thy mighty hand,
6I bow my knees unto thee, O Lord,
7I fall upon the earth,
8upon my face.
9Let this cup pass from me.
10I stretch forth my hands unto thee,
11I smite upon my breast,
12upon my thigh.
13Out of the deep my soul crieth unto thee,
14as a thirsty land unto thee,
15and all my bones,
16and all that is within me.
17O Lord, hear my voice.
Printed 260 · 261
Greek
1ΜΕΛΕΤΗ Β'.
2ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΒΙΟΥ ΒΡΑΧΥΤΗΤΟΣ.
3ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἀσθενής εἰμι,
4Μνήσθητι τίς μου ἡ ὑπόστασις,
5μνήσθητι ὅτι σάρξ εἰμι,
6Πνεῦμα πορευόμενον καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστρέφον.
7ὡσεὶ χόρτος αἱ ἡμέραι μου, ὡσεὶ ἄνθος τοῦ ἀγροῦ,
8ὅτι πνεῦμα διῆλθεν ἐν ἐμοὶ, καὶ οὐχ ὑπάρξω,
9καὶ οὐκ ἐπιγνώσομαι ἔτι τὸν τόπον μου.
10Ἐγὼ γὰρ γῆ καὶ σποδὸς,
11χοῦς καὶ χόρτος,
12σὰρξ καὶ πνοὴ,
13σαπρία καὶ σκώληξ.
14Ὡς παρεπιδημὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,
15κατοικῶν οἰκίαν πηλίνην,
16ἡμερῶν ὀλίγων καὶ κακῶν,
17σήμερον καὶ οὐκ αὔριον,
18πρωῒ καὶ οὐκ ἔτι ἕως νυκτός,
19ἐν σώματι ἁμαρτίας,
20ἐν αἰῶνι φθορᾶς,
21ὀλιγόβιος καὶ πλήρης ὀργῆς,
22ὥσπερ ἄνθος ἀνθῆσαν ἀπέδρα,
23καὶ ὥσπερ σκιὰ, οὐ μὴ στῇ.
24Μνήσθητι τούτου, Κύριε, καὶ ἄνες, ἄφες,
25τίς γὰρ ὠφέλεια ἐν τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ μου,
1MEDITATIO SECUNDA.
2FRAGILITATIS HUMANÆ.
3MISERERE mei, Domine, quia infirmus sum,Psal. vi. 2.
4Memorare quæ mea substantia,Psal. lxxxix. 47.
5Recordare quod caro sum,
6Spiritus vadens, et non rediens.Psal. lxxviii. 39.
7Sicut fœnum dies mei, sicut flos agri,Is. xl. 6.
8Spiritus transibit in me, et non subsistam,
9Nec cognoscam amplius locum meum.Psal. ciii. 15, 16.
10Ego enim pulvis et cinis,Gen. xviii. 27.
11Terra et fœnum,Is. xl. 6.
12Caro et flatus,Psal. lxxviii. 39.
13Putredo et vermis,Job. xvii. 14.
14Ut advena et peregrinus in terra,Psal. xxxix. 14.
15Habitans domum luteam,Job. iv. 19.
16Cujus dies pauci et mali,Gen. xlvii. 9.
17Hodie et non cras,Pro. xxvii. 1.
18Mane, et non usque ad vesperam,Is. xxxviii. 13.
19In corpore peccati,Rom. vi. 6.
20In mundo corruptionis,2 Pet. i. 4.
21Repletus miseriis, sed brevis vitæ,Job. xiv. 1.
22Sicut flos, dum floruit, marcescit,
23Et, sicut umbra, non subsistit.[*Vers.* 2.]
24Memor esto hujus, Domine, et ignosce, remitte,Ps. lxxiv. 18.
25Quæ enim utilitas in sanguine meo,
English
1MEDITATION II.
2OF THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE.
3HAVE mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak;
4Remember what my substance is,
5remember that I am but flesh,
6a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
7My days are as grass, as a flower of the field,
8for a wind hath gone over me, and I shall not be,
9and I shall know my place no more.
10For I am earth and ashes,
11dust and grass,
12flesh and breath,
13corruption and the worm.
14As a sojourner upon the earth,
15dwelling in a house of clay,
16of few days and evil,
17to-day and not to-morrow,
18in the morning, and no more until night,
19in a body of sin,
20in an age of corruption,
21short-lived and full of wrath,
22as a flower that flourished and fled away,
23and as a shadow, that in no wise abideth.
24Remember this, O Lord, and forbear, forgive;
25for what profit is there in my destruction,
Printed 262 · 263
Greek
1ἢ ἐν τῷ καταβαίνειν με εἰς διαφθοράν;
2Διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου,
3διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον καὶ ὑπερεκπερισσὸν
4πλεονασμὸν τῶν ἐλέων σου,
5Διοτιοῦν ἢ φιλεῖς σὺ, ἢ ἡμᾶς χρὴ μνησθῆναι,
6καὶ πρὸ καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων, διὰ σαυτοῦ,
7διὰ σαυτοῦ, Κύριε, καὶ Χριστοῦ σου,
8Κύριε, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῶν πρώτῳ.
9ὦ Κύριέ μου, κατακαυχάσθω
10τὸ ἔλεος τῆς κρίσεως ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ μου.
11Εἰσάκουσον, Κύριε,
12ἱλάσθητι, Κύριε,
13πρόσχες, ὦ Κύριε,
14Κύριε, πρόσχες καὶ ποίησον,
15ποίησον καὶ μὴ χρονίσῃς ἕνεκά σου,
16Μὴ χρονίσῃς, Κύριε, ὁ Θεός μου.
1dum descendo in corruptionem?Psal. xxx. 9.
2Propter^a multitudinem miserationum tuarum,
3Propter^b divitias, et ^c superabundantem
4^d Abundantiam misericordiarum tuarum,
5^a Psal. li. 1.^b Eph. i. 7.^c Eph. i. 8.^d Rom. v. 20.
6Propter quicquid aut Tibi charum est, aut nobis memorandum,
7Præ omnibus autem et super omnia, propter Teipsum,Dan. ix. 19.
8Propter Teipsum, Domine, et Christum tuum,Jo. xiv. 13, 14.
9Propitius esto, Domine, mihi peccatorum primo.[1 *Tim.* i. 15.]
10O Domine mi, superexultet
11Misericordia judicium in peccato meo.[*Jac.* ii. 13.]
12Exaudi, Domine,
13Propitius esto, Domine,
14Intende, Domine,
15Domine, intende, et fac,
16Fac, et ne moreris propter Teipsum,
17Ne moreris, Domine, Deus meus.Dan. ix. 19.
English
1or in my going down into corruption?
2For the multitude of thy compassions,
3for the riches, and the exceeding
4overflowing abundance of thy mercies,
5For whatsoever is dear to thee, or meet for us to remember,
6and before and above all, for thine own sake,
7for thine own sake, O Lord, and for thy Christ's,
8O Lord, be merciful to me, the chief of sinners.
9O my Lord, let mercy
10rejoice against judgement in my sin.
11Hear, O Lord;
12forgive, O Lord;
13hearken, O Lord;
14O Lord, hearken and do;
15do, and defer not, for thine own sake;
16defer not, O Lord, my God.