Corde Natus Ex Parentis

Here is today's Latin Christmas carol; you can read one carol per day for the month of December, or see the complete collection all at once. Today's Latin hymn has lyrics by the 4th-century poet Prudentius. You can find the 11th-century music at the Hymns and Carols of Christmas website, with links to several English versions as well.

The hymn by Prudentius forms part of his Liber Cathemerinon, and the complete Latin text is available online at the Christian Classics Etereal Library, along with an English translation.

Note: The Latin used in this hymn is much more difficult by far than the other Latin hymns that I have included here, so you will probably want to consult the English translation for help as you make your way through the text. The text of the carol begins at line 10 of Prudentius's hymn, proceeds to line 27, and then picks up again at line 106 to the end.

Corde natus ex parentis ante mundi exordium,
A et O cognominatus, ipse fons et clausula
omnium quae sunt, fuerunt quaeque post futura sunt.

Ipse iussit et creata, dixit ipse et facta sunt,
terra, caelum, fossa ponti, trina rerum machina,
quaeque in his vigent sub alto solis et lunae globo.

Corporis formam caduci, membra morti obnoxia
induit ne gens periret primoplasti ex germine,
merserat quem lex profundo noxialis tartaro.

O beatus ortus ille, virgo cum puerpera
edidit nostram salutem, feta Sancto Spiritu,
et puer redemptor orbis os sacratum protulit.

Psallat altitudo caeli; psallite omnes angeli;
quidquid est virtutis usquam psallat in laudem Dei;
nulla linguarum silescat; vox et omnis consonet.

Ecce, quem vates vetustis concinebant saeculis,
quem prophetarum fideles paginae spoponderant,
emicat promissus olim; cuncta conlaudent eum.

Macte iudex mortuorum, macte rex viventium,
dexter in Parentis arce qui cluis virtutibus,
omnium venturus inde iustus ultor criminum.

Te senes et te iuventus, parvulorum te chorus,
turba matrum virginumque, simplices puellulae,
voce concordes pudicis perstrepant concentibus.

Tibi, Christe, sit cum Patre hagioque Pneumate
hymnus, decus, laus perennis, gratiarum actio,
honor, virtus, victoria, regnum aeternaliter.

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Here are the carols I have completed so far:
December 1: Rudolphus
December 2: Angelus ad Virginem
December 3: Aquifolia Ornate
December 4: A Solis Ortus Cardine
December 5: O Viri, Este Hilares
December 6: Conditor Alme Siderum
December 7: Angeli Canunt Praecones
December 8: Regis Olim Urbe David
December 9: Gaudium Mundo
December 10: Resonet in Laudibus
December 11: Adeste Fideles
December 12: Christe, Redemptor Omnium
December 13: Dum Servant Pecus Pastores
December 14: Primum Noel Cecinit Angelus
December 15: In Dulci Iubilo
December 16: Procul in Praesaepi
December 17: Gaudete
December 18: Quem Pastores Laudavere
December 19: Orientis Reges Tres
December 20: Lapsi Caelo Super Gentes
December 21: Silens Nox

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Bolchazy-Carducci has a Latin Christmas Carol music CD! With 12 songs in Latin, O Abies: O Christmas Tree is available at amazon.com for $17.00

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