Hymns

2022

The Prayer for Ukraine

Oleksandr Konysky (1836-19000 to music by Mykola Lusenko  (1842-1912)

Боже великий, єдиний,
Нам Україну храни,
Волі і світу промінням
Ти її осіни.

Світлом науки і знання
Нас, дітей, просвіти,
В чистій любові до краю,
Ти нас, Боже, зрости.

Молимось, Боже єдиний,
Нам Україну храни,
Всі свої ласки й щедроти
Ти на люд наш зверни.

Дай йому волю, дай йому долю,
Дай доброго світу, щастя,
Дай, Боже, народу
І многая, многая літа.

Transliteration:

Bozhe velykyi, yedynyi,
Nam Ukrainu khrany,
Voli i svitu prominniam,
Ty yii osiny.

Svitlom nauky i znannia
Nas, ditey, prosvity,
V chystii liubovi do kraiu,
Ty nas, Bozhe, zrosty.

Molymos', Bozhe yedynyi,
Nam Ukrainu khrany,
Vsi svoi lasky y shchedroty,
Ty na liud nash zverny.

Dai yomu voliu, dai yomu doliu,
Dai dobroho svitu, shchastia,
Dai, Bozhe, narodu
I mnohaia, mnohaia lita.

Translation:

Lord, God alone, the Almighty,

Hold our Ukraine in your hand;

Shine with the rays of your glory

Liberty on our land.

 

Lighten our faith and understanding,

Keep your children in your heart;

Love that is pure for our homeland,

Lord our God, now impart. 

 

Merciful God, the Almighty,

Guard our Ukraine in your care.

Turn to our people and country,

Send your grace at our prayer.

 

Grant us our freedom, grant us our future,

Guide all our endeavour;

Bless us, God, our land and people

And grant many, man[y] years, for ever.

Translation © Mark Woodruff (1959- )

2017
A final verse to Tydi a Roddaist

The first three verses, by T. Rowland Hughes (1903-49), tr. Raymond Williams (1928-90). (Baptist Praise & Worship, no. 650)

O Lord, who gave the dawn its glow,
And charm to close the day,
You made all song and fragrance flow,
Gave spring its magic sway:
Deliver us, lest none should praise
For glories that all earth displays

2. O Lord, who caused the streams to sing,
Gave joy to forest trees,
You gave a song to lark on wing,
And chords to gentlest breeze:
Deliver us, lest we should see
A day without a song set free.

3. O Lord, who heard the lonely tread
On that strange path of old,
You saw the Son of Man once shed
His Blood from love untold:
Deliver us, lest one age dawn
Without the Cross, or crown of thorn.

And, as it leaves matters at the summit of Calvary, what of the resurrection and the life of heaven? A proposed fourth verse from BMW:

4. O Lord, who sent your Spirit’s power
To wrest Your Son from death,
And yield Creation’s crowning hour
in Resurrection’s breath:
Deliver us, lest none below
Heaven’s tune of praise to sing should know.

©  Mark Woodruff (1959- ), 25 vi 1992, 2 vii 1992 & 16 vii 2017.

Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.


2015
Wort des Vaters, Licht der Heiden, Heil und Trost der ganzen Welt; heute bist Du unter Freuden * in dem Tempel dargestellt. Klein, auf Deiner Mutter Armen * ziehst Du in den Tempel ein; und du läßt Dich voll Erbarmen * zum Erlösungsopfer weih’n.

„Nun“, ruft Simeon voll Freuden, „nun will ich in Frieden geh’n! Das verheiß’ne Licht der Heiden, unser Heil hab ich geseh’n!“ Freudig tritt, vom Geist geführet, Anna in der Frommen Kreis; und, von Gottes Huld gerühret, stimmt sie ein in Dank und Preis.

Fröhlich wollen wir Dich preisen, aller Menscheit Heil und Licht, mit den beiden frommen Greisen * harren Dein mit Zuversicht. Laß in Deinem Licht uns wandeln, stets die Nacht der Sünde scheu’n; nur nach Deinem Vorbild handeln, einst im ew’gen Licht uns freu’n!

Word of the Father, Light to every nation,
Bright in the Temple, all the world’s salvation,
Here sees glad earth in You its consolation,
Saviour appearing.

Small in Your Mother’s arms God’s Son is coffered.
Vast in compassion comes the life You suffered
Sacred to be, the spotless Victim, offered
For our redeeming.

Thus dawns the Light that lightens every mortal;
Thus comes foretold the sacrifice that bought all;
Thus in the Temple opens heaven’s portal,
Mary, God-bearing.

Simeon departs in peace, Your Light perceiving;
Hannah goes forth in joyful song, believing.
Out from our dark we follow, grace receiving,
Your face achieving.

From Sursum Corda, Paderborn Catholic Diocesan Hymnal, 1874, trans. Mark Woodruff © 21.3.2015
This goes to Iste Confessor

Maria ging geschwind mit ihrem lieben Kind;
sie ging von Betlehem zur Stadt Jerusalem
und trug zum Tempel ein das zarte Jesulein.

Sie opfert diesen Hort nach des Gesetzes Wort.
Sie gab das Kindlein dar, von Täublein auch ein Paar,
und löset ab mit Geld den Herren aller Welt.

Sankt Simeon, der Greis, kam auf des Herrn Geheiß.
Er nahm mit großer Lust das Kind an seine Brust,
davon sein Herz aufsprang, und er vor Freuden sang.

Auch kam Sankt Anna hin, die fromme Seherin.
Auf tat sie ihren Mund und macht das Kindlein kund.
Sie lobt das Kindlein sehr, und sagte, wer es wär.

O Kind, o Gottes Sohn, wie froh ist Simeon.
Wie froh Sankt Anna ist, daß Du gekommen bist!
Ach, komm und mach also von Herzen alle froh!

From Bethlehem with haste the Virgin on her way
went forth to Sion’s hill with thankful heart to pray:
And in the Temple to present
The tender Child from Heaven sent.

By sacrifice for love, keeping the Law’s decree,
Her arms their Son release His world at length to free:
The pair of doves, the store of gold,
Are naught beside the Lord foretold.

Now Simeon beholds the Light of all the world;
God’s glory he perceives in human frame unfurled.
Salvation in his heart’s embrace
Breaks forth to praise for endless grace.

By wonder’s silent hope the righteous Anna nears,
Redemption’s rise to see, expectant all her years:
Then lifts her voice in song to praise
The Saviour come to crown her days.

For Simeon the Light to human eyes revealed;
For Anna, Son of God, redemption born a Child:
As once You came, their whole delight,
So earth entire, all hearts, make bright.

Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld, 1623 trans. Mark Woodruff © 21.2.2015
This goes to  Harewood or Crofts 148th


Maria wallt zum Heiligtum und bringt ihr Kindlein dar,
das schaut der greise Simeon, wie ihm verheißen war.
Da nimmt er Jesum in den Arm und singt im Geiste froh:
Nun fahr' ich hin mit Freud,
dich, Heiland, sah ich heut,
du Trost von Israel, das Licht der Welt.

Hilf nun, du liebster Jesu Christ, dass wir zu jeder Frist
an dir wie auch der Simeon all uns're Freude han
und kommt die Zeit, sanft schlafen ein und also singen froh:
Nun fahr' ich hin mit Freud,
dich, Heiland, sah ich heut,
du Trost von Israel, das Licht der Welt.

When Mary to the Temple brings her Child,
The Christ foretold to Simeon is revealed;
As arms that aged in waiting hold the Boy,
The Spirit thrills his voice with ageless joy:

Rejoicing now I go the Saviour's way:
His people’s Glory, and the World’s true Day.

Lord Jesus Christ, now hold us through our days,
And show our greatest joy to be Your praise.
Help us, at life’s last hour, depart in peace
With Simeon raised in song by love’s increase:

Rejoicing now I go the Saviour’s way:
His people’s Glory, and the World’s true Day.

Johannes Eccard, 1553-1611 trans. Mark Woodruff © 7.2.2015
This goes well to Yorkshire (Stockport) (Christians, awake, salute the happy morn)



2010
Hymns: The Sound of Communion
This paper first appeared in Anglicans & Catholics in Communion, Special Edition of The Messenger of the Catholic League, April-August 2010). It was published again in two parts in Bulletins 272 & 273 of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 20, 2012.



2008
Guess the metrical tunes:

Rejoice on earth and all within;
Heaven’s songs be your examples.
The Lord’s right hand has conquered sin:
His Death on death now tramples.

The First-Begotten of the dead
From Hades’ womb ascending,
The Saviour of the world, our Head,
Bestows His grace unending.
Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 3


O never-failing Protectress and Helper of Christians
Constant as their Intercessor before the Creator:
Mother of God,
Turn to the sinners who call,
Trusting your goodness and mercy.
Now intercede
Swiftly for us in our need,
Those who revere you protecting.
Theotokion


The true Light we have seen,
the true faith we have found,
the Holy Spirit from on high
we have received,
as we adore
God Who has saved us,
undivided Trinity.
From the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom


1998
Panis Angelicus
fit panis hominum;
dat panis caelicus
figuris terminum;
O res mirabilis!
Manducat Dominum
pauper, servus, et humilis.

Te trina Deitas
unaque poscimus,
sic nos tu visita,
sicut te colimus:
per tuas semitas
duc nos quo tendimus,
ad lucem quam inhabitas. Amen.
　
The Bread that angels tend
makes bread our life to leaven;
and, Sign to show the End,
this Bread conveys all heaven.
Such wonder; here the Lord,
as for the true Eleven,
is Food at the least, poor slave’s board.

Godhead, You Three and One,
Whose presence we implore,
draw near us, Father, Son,
Spirit, as we adore.
Lead us to walk Your ways,
that we may stand before
You, dwelling in Your own light’s blaze. Amen.

St Thomas Aquinas O.P.
trans. Mark Woodruff © 29.4.1998


O living flame of love,
how tenderly you wound
my soul’s deep heart.
Make happy ending of
our sweet embrace that, bound,
would pains impart.

O searing, are you sweet;
O wound, are you delight
from such a hand.
Your mortal touch of heat
sets dying life alight,
all debt thus banned.

Now deep, where feeling dwelt
in caverns blind, obscure,
shine lamps of fire !
In warmth let them be felt,
and lovely light be pure
for their Desire.

Where good and glory rest
your secret breathings wake
from sleep and move,
so gentle in my breast,
by tender pains to make
me fall in love.

St John of the Cross ODC 1542-1591
English translation and adaptation by Mark Woodruff (c) June 1999
This was dedicated to Cardinal Hume, along with the translation of Panis Angelicus
A musical setting has also been written, but it is more poem than hymn.



1996
King, in the majesty of Truth
Your justice stands decreed:
Ancient of Days, when comes the hour
Your subject world shall heed?
When will the people grant Your crown,
and take Your yoke of peace;
when will they bid You take the sin,
for evil ways to cease?

Not in the world’s grand walks of power,
not in the rule of state,
not in the counsels of the wise,
for judgment need we wait:
Christ in a stable holds His court,
the stall His bench of law;
shepherds and kings the meaning see,
when princes dwell in straw;

Then in high time’s appointed turn
the world You moved to gain:
Seizing for love the weight of sin,
You bowed Yourself to pain.
Drawn to the lifting of Your Cross
come all, forgiven, free:
here is Your crowning, here our peace,
King, reigning from the Tree.

Mark Woodruff © 1990 & 1996
I first started to work on this when I was precentor at the Cathedral of St James in Bury St Edmunds. We used the prototype for a Passiontide service, to the lovely tune Coe Fen by Ken Taylor, for which the Organist at the time, Paul Trepte, was seeking more words.  



1984

In silence stands the empty Cross

And tells of gain redeeming loss:
So earth in anguish waits in dread
While Christ descends to wake the dead.

First light, O Christ, to pierce the gloom,

Your dawning rise shall burst the Tomb;
First fruit of those that lay asleep,
A harvest in the morning reap.

You summon Adam and his seed;

Your own, long captive held, are freed.
You claim the dead to life regained,
Bring light where night eternal reigned.

Confessing You that bore the cost,

and losing life restored the lost:
with Father and the Spirit, Three,
One God, we praise eternally. Amen.

Ed. Mark Woodruff © 1984 & 2020

The original hymn in a longer metre is by the Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey © 1974 &  1995. An adaptation to Long Metre is assumed to have been made with permission from Stanbrook Abbey by the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield (© date unknown), or is copyright free. The above is my reworking of the latter with the addition of the second verse entirely of my own composition.