by Rabanus Maurus Magnentius, Archbishop of Mainz (c784 - 856)
Translation by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Veni Creator Spiritus
Language: Latin
Veni Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visita; Imple superna gratia Quæ tu creasti pectora. Qui [Paracletus diceris]1, [Donum Dei altissimi]2, Fons vivus, ignis, caritas, Et spiritalis unctio. Tu septiformis munere, [Dextræ Dei tu digitus]3, Tu rite promissum Patris, Sermone ditans guttura. Accende lumen sensibus, Infunde amorem cordibus, Infirma nostri corporis Virtute firmans perpeti. Hostem repellas longius, Pacemque dones protinus; Ductore sic te prævio, Vitemus omne noxium. Per Te sciamus da Patrem, Noscamus atque Filium, Te utriusque Spiritum Credamus omni tempore. Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio quia mortuis, Surrexit, ac Paraclito, In sæculorum sæcula. Amen.
H. Berlioz sets stanzas 1-6
M. Trotta sets stanza 1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 reversed in some versions; also "Paracletus" sometimes spelled "Paraclitus"
2 in some versions: "altissimi donum Dei"
3 in some versions: "digitus paternæ dexteræ"
Authorship:
- by Rabanus Maurus Magnentius, Archbishop of Mainz (c784 - 856), Pentecost hymn [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869), "Veni Creator", 1861-8, stanzas 1-6 [ chorus ], motet [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Louis-Emmanuel Jadin (1768 - 1853), "Veni Creator" [ two-part chorus ], from Six motets, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by José Carlos do Amaral Vieira Filho (b. 1952), "Veni Creator Spiritus", op. 241 (1989), first performed 1995 [ baritone and piano four-hands ] [sung text not yet checked]
This text (or a part of it) is used in a work
- by Michael John Trotta (b. 1978), "Veni Creator Spiritus" [ SATB chorus a cappella ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) ; composed by Hans Gál.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Franz Werfel (1890 - 1945) , "Veni creator spiritus", appears in Einander ; composed by Carl Orff.
- Also set in Latin, [adaptation] ; composed by Gustav Mahler.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (J. W. Schulte Nordholt) , "Kom Schepper, Geest", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (John Dryden) , "Creator spirit" [an adaptation]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-02
Line count: 28
Word count: 94
Das ewige Licht
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Latin
Komm, Heiliger Geist, du Schaffender, Komm, Deine Seelen suche heim; Mit Gnadenfülle segne sie, Die Brust, die du geschaffen hast! Du heißest Tröster, Paraklet, Des höchsten Gottes Hochgeschenk, Lebend'ger Quell und Liebesglut Und Salbung heiliger Geisteskraft. Du siebenfaltiger Gabenschatz, Du Finger Gottes rechter Hand, Von ihm versprochen und geschickt, Der Kehle Stimm' und Rede gibst. Den Sinnen zünde Lichter an, Dem Herzen frohe Mutigkeit, Daß wir im Körper Wandelnden Bereit zum Handeln sei'n, zum Kampf! Den Feind bedränge, treib ihn fort, Daß uns des Friedens wir erfreu'n, Und so an deiner Führerhand Dem Schaden überall entgeh'n! Vom Vater uns Erkenntnis gib, Erkenntnis auch vom Sohn zugleich, Uns, die dem beiderseit'gen Geist Zu allen Zeiten gläubig fleh'n! Darum sei Gott dem Vater Preis, Dem Sohne, der vom Tod erstand, Dem Paraklet, dem wirkenden, Von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit.
Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Rabanus Maurus Magnentius, Archbishop of Mainz (c784 - 856), Pentecost hymn
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans Gál (1890 - 1987), "Das ewige Licht", op. 70 no. 6 (1955), published 1956, first performed 1956 [SATB soli, mixed chorus (boys, SATB), and orchestra], from Lebenskreise, no. 6, Alkor Edition, Kassel [ sung text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-15
Line count: 28
Word count: 136