And then at length let darkness flee,
  Which all too long held us in fee,
  ’Mid wildering shadows made us stray
  And led in devious tracks our way.

  We pray Thee, Rising Light serene,
  E’en as Thyself our hearts make clean: 
  Let no deceit our lips defile
  Nor let our souls be vexed by guile.

  O keep us, as the hours proceed,
  From lying word and evil deed,
  Our roving eyes from sin set free,
  Our body from impurity.

  For thou dost from above survey
  The converse of each fleeting day: 
  Thou dost foresee from morning light
  Our every deed, until the night.

  Justice and judgment dwell with Thee,
  Whatever is, Thine eye doth see: 
  Thou know’st what human hearts conceive
  And none Thy wisdom may deceive.

III.  HYMNUS ante cibum

    O crucifer bone, lucisator,
  omniparens, pie, verbigena,
  edite corpore virgineo,
  sed prius in genitore potens,
  astra, solum, mare quam fierent:  5

    Huc nitido precor intuitu
  flecte salutiferam faciem,
  fronte serenus et inradia,
  nominis ut sub honore tui
  has epulas liceat capere. 10

    Te sine dulce nihil, Domine,
  nec iuvat ore quid adpetere,
  pocula ni prius atque cibos,
  Christe, tuus favor inbuerit
  omnia sanctificante fide. 15

    Fercula nostra Deum sapiant,
  Christus et influat in pateras: 
  seria, ludicra, verba, iocos,
  denique quod sumus aut agimus,
  trina superne regat pietas. 20

    Hic mihi nulla rosae spolia,
  nullus aromate fragrat odor,
  sed liquor influit ambrosius
  nectareamque fidem redolet
  fusus ab usque Patris gremio. 25

    Sperne camena leves hederas,
  cingere tempora quis solita es,
  sertaque mystica dactylico
  texere docta liga strophio,
  laude Dei redimita comas. 30

    Quod generosa potest anima,
  lucis et aetheris indigena,
  solvere dignius obsequium,
  quam data munera si recinat
  artificem modulata suum? 35

    Ipse homini quia cuncta dedit,
  quae capimus dominante manu,
  quae polus aut humus aut pelagus
  aere, gurgite, rure creant,
  haec mihi subdidit et sibi me. 40

    Callidus inlaqueat volucres
  aut pedicis dolus aut maculis,
  inlita glutine corticeo
  vimina plumigeram seriem
  inpediunt et abire vetant. 45

    Ecce per aequora fluctivagos
  texta greges sinuosa trahunt: 
  piscis item sequitur calamum
  raptus acumine vulnifico
  credula saucius ora cibo. 50

    Fundit opes ager ingenuas
  dives aristiferae segetis: 
  his ubi vitea pampineo
  brachia palmite luxuriant,
  pacis alumna ubi baca viret. 55