Hymn After Meat (Hymnus Post Cibum)

Newly Translated Into English Verse By R. Martin Pope is below this original.

Hymnus Post Cibum


        Pastis visceribus ciboque sumpto,
    quem lex corporis inbecilla poscit,
    laudem lingua Deo patri rependat;
        Patri, qui Cherubin sedile sacrum,
    nec non et Seraphin suum supremo
    subnixus solio tenet regitque.

        Hic est, quem Sabaoth Deum vocamus,
    expers principii carensque fine,
    rerum conditor et repertor orbis:
        fons vitae liquida fluens ab arce,
    infusor fidei, sator pudoris,
    mortis perdomitor, salutis auctor.

        Omnes quod sumus aut vigemus, inde est:
    regnat Spiritus ille sempiternus
    a Christo simul et Parente missus.
        Intrat pectora candidus pudica,
    quae templi vice consecrata rident,
    postquam conbiberint Deum medullis.

        Sed si quid vitii dolive nasci
    inter viscera iam dicata sensit,
    ceu spurcum refugit celer sacellum.
        Taetrum flagrat enim vapore crasso
    horror conscius aestuante culpa
    offensumque bonum niger repellit.

        Nec solus pudor innocensve votum
    templum constituunt perenne Christo
    in cordis medii sum ac recessu:
        sed ne crapula ferveat cavendum est,
    quae sedem fidei cibis refertam
    usque ad congeriem coartet intus.

        Parcis victibus expedita corda
    infusum melius Deum receptant.
    Hic pastus animae est, saporque verus:
        sed nos tu gemino fovens paratu
    artus atque animas utroque pastu
    confirmas Pater ac vigore conples.

        Sic olim tua praecluens potestas
    inter raucisonos situm leones,
    inlapsis dapibus virum refovit.
        Illum fusile numen execrantem
    et curvare caput sub expolita
    aeris materia nefas putantem

        Plebs dirae Babylonis ac tyrannus
    morti subdiderant, feris dicarant
    saevis protinus haustibus vorandum.
        O semper pietas fidesque tuta!
    lambunt indomiti virum leones
    intactumque Dei tremunt alumnum.

        Adstant cominus et iubas reponunt,
    mansuescit rabies fameque blanda
    praedam rictibus ambit incruentis.
        Sed cum tenderet ad superna palmas
    expertumque sibi Deum rogaret,
    clausus iugiter indigensque victu:

        Iussus nuntius advolare terris,
    qui pastum famulo daret probato,
    raptim desilit obsequente mundo.
        Cernit forte procul dapes inemptas,
    quas messoribus Abbacuc propheta
    agresti bonus exhibebat arte.

        Huius caesarie manu prehensa
    plenis, sicut erat, gravem canistris
    suspensum rapit et vehit per auras.
        Tum raptus simul ipse prandiumque
    sensim labitur in lacum leonum,
    et, quas tunc epulas gerebat, offert:

        Sumas laetus, ait, libensque carpas,
    quae summus Pater, angelusque Christi
    mittunt liba tibi sub hoc periclo.
        His sumptis Danielus excitavit
    in caelum faciem ciboque fortis
    Amen reddidit, Halleluia dixit.

        Sic nos muneribus tuis refecti,
    largitor Deus omnium bonorum,
    grates reddimus et sacramus hymnos.
        Tu nos tristifico velut tyranno
    mundi scilicet inpotentis actu
    conclusos regis et feram repellis,

        Quae circumfremit ac vorare temptat
    insanos acuens furore dentes,
    cur te, summe Deus, precemur unum.
        Vexamur, premimur, malis rotamur;
    oderunt, lacerant, trahunt, lacessunt,
    iuncta est suppliciis fides iniquis.

        Nec defit tamen anxiis medela;
    nam languente trucis leonis ira
    inlapsae superingeruntur escae.
        Quas si quis sitienter hauriendo
    non gustu tenui, sed ore pleno
    internis velit inplicare venis,

        Hic sancto satiatus ex propheta,
    iustorum capiet cibos virorum,
    qui fructum domino metunt perenni.
        Nil est dulcius ac magis saporum,
    nil quod plus hominem iuvare possit,
    quam vatis pia praecinentis orsa.

        His sumptis licet insolens potestas
    pravum iudicet, inrogetque mortem,
    inpasti licet inruant leones,
        nos semper Dominum patrem fatentes
    in te, Christe Deus, loquemur unum
    constanterque tuam crucem feremus.




Hymn After Meat

    Refreshed we rise, and for this bread that feeds,
    By law of man's weak flesh, our daily needs,
        Let every tongue, the Father's praises sing;
    The Father Who on His exalted throne,
    O'er Cherubim and Seraphim, alone
        Reigns in His majesty, Eternal King.

    God of Sabaoth is His name: 'tis He
    Who ne'er began and ne'er shall cease to be,
        Builder of worlds created at His word;
    Fountain of Life that flows from out the sky,
    He breathes within us Faith and Purity,
        Great Conqueror of Death, Salvation's Lord.

    From Him each creature life and vigour gains,
    And over all the Eternal Spirit reigns
        Who cometh from the Father and the Son:
    When, dovelike, on pure hearts the heavenly Guest
    Descends, they are by God's own presence blest,
        As temples where His holy work is done.

    But if the taint of vice or guile arise
    Within the consecrated shrine, He flies
        With speed from out the sin-defilèd cell;
    For, driven forth by guilt's black, surging tide,
    The offended Godhead may not there abide
        Where conscious sin and noisome foulness dwell.

    Not chastity nor childlike faith alone
    Build up for Christ an everlasting throne
        Deep in the inmost heart, devoid of shame:
    But watchful ever must His servants be,
    Lest the dark power of sated gluttony
        Should bind about the abode of faith its chain.

    Yet simple saints, content with frugal fare,
    More surely find the Spirit present there,
        Who is our soul's true strength and heavenly food:
    Thy love for us a twofold feast supplies,
    O Father, whence the soul may strengthened rise
        And eke the body gain new hardihood.

    Thus, fed and sheltered by Thy matchless might,
    The lions' hideous roar could not affright
        Thy loyal servant in the days of old:
    He boldly cursed the molten deity
    And stood with stubborn head uplifted high
        That scorned to bow before a god of gold.

    Then Babylon's vile mob with fury glows;
    Death is his doom; and straight the tyrant throws
        The youth to be his savage lions' prey:
    But faith and piety Thou still dost save,
    For lo! the untamed brutes no longer rave,
        But round God's unscathed child they gently play.

    Close by his side they stand with drooping mane,
    The grisly, gaping jaws from blood refrain
        And with rough tongues their whilom prey caress:
    But when in prayer he raised his hands to heaven
    And called the God, from Whom such help was given,
        Close-prisoned, hungry, and in sore distress,

    A wingèd messenger to earth He sends,
    Who swiftly through the parting clouds descends
        To feed His servant, proven by the test:
    By chance he sees from far the unbought fare
    Which the good seer Habakkuk's kindly care
        With rustic art had for the reapers dressed:

    Then, grasping in strong hand the prophet's hair,
    He bears him gently through the rushing air,
        Still burdened with the platter's savoury load,
    Till o'er the lions' den at last they stayed
    And straightway to the starving youth displayed
        The food thus brought, by God's good grace bestowed.

    "Take this with joy," he said, "and thankful feed,
    The bread that in thy hour of direst need,
        By the great Father sent, Christ's angel brings."
    Then Daniel lifts his eyes to heaven above
    And, strengthened by the wondrous gift of love,
        "Amen!" he cries, and Alleluia sings.

    Thus, therefore, by Thy bounties now restored,
    Giver of all things good, Almighty Lord,
        We render thanks and sing glad hymns to Thee:
    Though prisoned in an evil world we dwell
    Where sin's grim tyrant rules, Thou dost repel
        With sovran power our mortal enemy.

    He roars around us, and would fain devour,
    Grinding his angry teeth when 'gainst his power
        In Thee alone, O God, we still confide:
    By evil things we are beset and vexed,
    Tormented, hated, harassed and perplexed,
        Our faith by cruel suffering sorely tried,

    Yet help ne'er fails us in our time of need,
    For Thou canst quell the lions' rage, and feed
        Our hungry spirits with celestial fare:
    And if some soul no meagre taste would gain
    Of that repast, but thirstily is fain
        Full measure of the heavenly sweets to share,

    He by the holy seers of old is fed,
    And shall partake the loyal reapers' bread
        Who labour in the eternal Master's field:
    For nothing sweeter than the Word can be
    That fell from righteous lips, once touched by Thee,
        And nought can richer grace to mortals yield.

    With this sustained, though vaunting tyranny
    By unjust judgment doom us straight to die,
        And starvèd lions rush these limbs to tear;
    Confessing ever Thine Eternal Son,
    With Thee, Almighty Father, ever one,
        His cross with faith unshaken will we bear.