A solis ortus cardine

A solis ortus cardine , early Christian melody, 16th century print

A solis ortus cardine ( From the gate of the sunrise ) is a Latin poem by Caelius Sedulius († around 450). It sings of the life of Jesus from his birth to the resurrection in 23 four-line stanzas, with the stanzas beginning in sequence with all the letters of the late ancient Latin alphabet ( Abecedarius ). This poem are derived from two hymns of the Catholic liturgy and two hymns of Martin Luther .

The first seven stanzas, supplemented by a doxology stanza from another origin, have been used as a hymn for Christmas since the early Middle Ages . In succinct phrases they draw the contrast between the greatness and omnipotence of the eternal word of God (the second person of the Trinity ) and the needy humanity of the child in whom this word became flesh.

Stanzas 8, 9, 11 and 13 of the poem by Sedulius were also taken over into the liturgy with the added doxology as a hymn to the feast of the apparition of Lord Hostis Herodes impie . These stanzas are about Herod and the Three Kings , but also about the baptism of the Lord and the miracle of wine in Cana .

For the Christmas hymn, Martin Luther created the rhyming transference Christ we shall praise already , which had long been one of the main evangelical songs of the Christmas season, but was not included in the main part of the 1993 Evangelical Hymn book . The text of the cantata Christum we should praise already, BWV 121 , by Johann Sebastian Bach goes back to this poem by Luther .

Luther also translated the Epiphany hymn into German: What do you fear, enemy Herod, very much . This song has long been out of use.

In the Liturgy of the Hours of the Catholic Church, the eight-verse A solis ortus and the five- verse Hostis Herod are contained in the Latin original. The German-language book of hours also offers the five-stanza transmission Vom hellen Tor der Sonnenbahn (stanzas 1, 2, 6 and 7 of Sedulius as well as the doxology).

Like the text, the traditional melody is dated to the 5th century. It begins in Doric mode , but ends in Phrygian . In Liber hymnarius (Solesmes, 1983) and in Liber usualis , however, it is the III. Attributed to tone.

The three-fold upswing to the top note sensibly depicts the high arc of the sun's path and the perspective across the globe. The numerous melisms were later simplified. An almost syllabic version is in use today in the Catholic liturgy .

Text and translations

Latin text	Literal translation	Luther's translation of rhymes
A solis ortus cardine adusque terrae limitem Christum canamus principem natum Maria virgine.	From the pivot of the sunrise to the edge of the earth, let us sing about Christ, the prince, born of Mary the virgin.	Christ we should already praise, the pure maid of Mary's son, as far as the dear sun shines and reaches at the end of all the world.
B eatus auctor saeculi servile corpus induit, ut carne carnem liberans non perderet, quod condidit.	The blessed creator of the world put on a slave's body so that, by liberating the flesh through flesh, he would not let what he created perish.	The blessed Creator of all things humbled a servant's body, that he acquired the flesh by flesh and that his creature did not perish all.
C lausae parentis viscera caelestis intrat gratia, venter puellae baiulat secreta quae non noverat.	Heavenly grace enters a closed womb . The girl's body carries secrets that he did not know before.	The divine grace from heaven poured into the chaste mother, a maidlin carried a secret pledge that was unknown to nature.
D omus pudici pectoris templum repente fit Dei, intacta nesciens virum verbo creavit filium.	The house of the shameful breast suddenly becomes the temple of God. The untouched, who recognized no man, brought forth the Son through the word.	The chaste house of the heart tenderly soon became a temple of God. Which no man touches nor recognized, by God's word she was found pregnant.
E nixa est puerpera quem Gabriel praedixerat, quem matris alvo gestiens clausus Iohannes senserat.	The woman who had recently given birth gave birth to the one Gabriel had foretold, that Johannes, locked in the womb, joyfully felt.	The noble mother gave birth, which Gabriel previously promised, which Saint Johanns shows with jumping, since it was still in the womb.
F eno iacere pertulit, praesepe non abhorruit, parvoque lacte pastus est, per quem nec ales esurit.	He endured lying on the hay, he did not shrink from the crib. A little milk was used to nourish the one by which no bird goes hungry.	He lay big in the hay with poverty, the cribs did not annoy him, a little milk became his food, which never let a bird go hungry.
G audet chorus caelestium, et angeli canunt Deum palamque fit pastoribus pastor creator omnium.	The choir of the heavenly rejoices and the angels sing to God. The shepherd , the creator of everything , becomes evidently to the shepherds.	The choir of heaven rejoices and the angels sing praises to God; the shepherd and creator of all the world is reported to the poor shepherds .
H ostis Herodes impie, Christum venire quid times? Non eripit mortalia, qui regna dat caelestia.	Herod, unfaithful enemy, why do you fear the coming of Christ? It does not steal the decayed goods that the kingdom of heaven gives.	What do you fear very much, enemy Herod, that we are born Christ the Lord? He is not looking for a mortal kingdom to bring to us his kingdom of heaven.
I bant magi, qua venerant stellam sequentes praeviam, lumen requirunt lumine, Deum fatentur munere.	The wise men went as they came , following the star that preceded them. Through a light they strive to the light, confess God with their gift.	The wise men follow the star, who brought such light to the right light. With the three gifts they show that this child is God, man and king.
K aterva matrum personat conlisa deflens pignora, quorum tyrannus milia Christo sacravit victimam.	The crowd of mothers lamented loudly, weeping for the slain children, thousands of whom the tyrant sacrificed to Christ.
L avacra puri gurgitis caelestis agnus attigit, peccata quae non detulit nos abluendo sustulit.	The baptismal baths of the pure spring touched the heavenly Lamb. Those sins it did not take away, it took upon itself by washing us away.	The baptism in the Jordan was taken by the heavenly Lamb of God, through which, who never did no sin, washed us from sins.
M iraculis dedit fidem habere se Deum patrem, infirma sanans corpora et suscitans cadavera.	He performed miracles in attesting to God his Father by healing sick bodies and raising corpses.
N ovum genus potentiae: aquae rubescunt hydriae vinumque iussa fundere mutavit unda originem.	A new kind of power! The waters turn red in the jug, and at the command to pour wine , the water has changed its nature.	A new miracle happened: six stone jugs were seen full of water that had lost its way, red wine was made of it through his word.
O rat salutem servulo flexus genu centurio, credentis ardor plurimus extinxit ignes febrium.	The captain bends his knee asks for healing for his servant . The greater glow of the believer put out the fires of fever.
P etrus per undas ambulat Christi levatus dextera: natura quam negaverat fides paravit semitam.	Peter walks through the waves, lifted up by the right hand of Christ. Faith prepared the way that nature had denied .
Q uarta die iam fetidus vitam recepit Lazarus mortisque liber vinculis factus superstes est sibi.	On the fourth day, already stinking, Lazarus got his life back and, free from the bonds of death, became a survivor of himself.
R ivos cruoris torridi contacta vestis obstruit, fletu rigante supplicis arent fluenta sanguinis.	Streams of hot blood bring the touched robe to a standstill. Through the watering weeping of the supplicants, the floods of blood dry up.
S olutus omni corpore iussus repente surgere, suis vicissim gressibus aeger vehebat lectulum.	Relieved of the whole burden of his body, at the command to get up immediately, the sick man again carried his bed with his own steps .
T uncglich Iudas carnifex ausus magistrum tradere, pacem ferebat osculo, quam non habebat pectore.	Then this villain Judas dared to betray the master, offered with a kiss the peace that he did not have in his heart.
V erax datur fallacibus, pium flagellat impius, crucique fixus innocens coniunctus est latronibus.	The truthful is handed over to the deceivers, the faithful are scourged by the unfaithful, and the innocent, nailed to the cross, is associated with the robbers.
X eromyrram post sabbatum quaedam vehebant compares, quas adlocutus angelus vivum sepulcro non tegi.	Scented ointment brought some companions after the Sabbath . The angel told them that the living would not be covered by the grave.
Y mnis, venite, dulcibus omnes canamus subditum Christi triumpho tartarum, qui nos redemit venditus.	Come, let us all sing with melodious hymns : Hell is subdued by the triumph of Christ, who bought us out as a soldier.
Z elum draconis invidi et os leonis pessimi calcavit unicus Dei seseque caelis reddidit.	The jealousy of the envious dragon and the jaws of the fearful lion was trampled underfoot by the Onlyborn of God and he himself has returned to heaven.

Web links

Commons : A solis ortus cardine  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• The complete poem of Sedulius
• Free transmission by Peter Gerloff (verses 1, 2, 6, 7 and doxology)
• Text of the Bach cantata 121

Individual evidence

1. ↑ cf. the melody version of the Erfurt Enchiridion
2. ↑ Praise to Christ. The Liturgy of the Hours in the Community , Freiburg 1982, p. 313