Maker of all, eternal King, who day and night about dost bring: who weary mortals to relieve, dost in their times the seasons give:
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.
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.
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.
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.
New hope his clarion note awakes, sickness the feeble frame forsakes, the robber sheathes his lawless sword, faith to fallen is restored.
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.
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.
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.
Aeterne rerum conditor, noctem diemque qui regis, et temporum das tempora, ut alleves fastidium;
Praeco diei iam sonat, noctis profundae pervigil, nocturna lux viantibus a nocte noctem segregans.
Hoc excitatus lucifer solvit polum caligine, hoc omnis erronum chorus vias nocendi deserit.
Hoc nauta vires colligit pontique mitescunt freta, hoc ipsa petra ecclesiae canente culpam diluit.
Surgamus ergo strenue! Gallus iacentes excitat, et somnolentos increpat, Gallus negantes arguit.
Gallo canente spes redit, aegris salus refunditur, mucro latronis conditur, lapsis fides revertitur.
Iesu, labantes respice, et nos videndo corrige, si respicis, lapsus cadunt, fletuque culpa solvitur.
Tu lux refulge sensibus, mentisque somnum discute, te nostra vox primum sonet et ore psallamus tibi.
Sit, Christe, Rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.
Maker of All, Eternal King |from the Roman Breviary, by St. Ambrose
