Wednesday, August 13, 2014

A jubilation of the mind

Sit laus plena, sit sonora; | sit iucunda, sit decora | mentis iubilatio;

Let [your] praise be plena, let it be sonora; | let it be iucunda, let it be decora[,] jubilation of the mind;

     Or, since there is no comma after decora, "a decorous jubilation of the mind".  Thomas Aquinas, "Lauda Sion," Office for the Feast of Corpus Christi (1264).
     Wielockx calls mens here the Geistseele, rational soul ("Adoro te deuote:  zur Lösung einer alten Crux," Annales theologici:  revista internazionale di teologia 21 (2007):  111 (101-138)).  Nonetheless, I am not unaware of the fact that the connotations of mens extend beyond just "mind", as indeed the tradition of translation makes clear.  E.g.

Then be the anthem clear and strong,
Thy fullest note, thy sweetest song,
The very music of the breast:

Let the praise be loud and high;
Sweet and tranquil be the joy
Felt today in every breast.

Let us form a joyful chorus,
may our lauds ascend sonorous,
bursting from each loving breast.

Sing His praise with voice sonorous;
Every heart shall hear the chorus
Swell in melody sublime:

Let the chant be loud and high;
Sweet and tranquil be the joy
Felt to-day in every breast;

Full and clear ring out your chanting,
Joy nor sweetest grace be wanting,
From your heart let praises burst:

Therefore let our praise be full and resounding and our soul's rejoicing full of delight and beauty, (Joseph Connelly, Hymns of the Roman liturgy (1957), 124).

Etc.

No comments: