Balsam and clear wax | Balsam and clear wax

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Translation © by David Wyatt

Balsamus et munda cera

Language: Latin

Our translations: ENG

Balsamus et munda cera
Cum chrismatis unda
Conficiunt agnum, quem do tibi
Muneri magnum
Fonte velut natum,
Per mystica sanctificatum:
Fulgura desursum depellit et omne malignum,
Praegnans servatur,
Sine ve partus liberatur;
Portatus mundae servat a fluctibus undae,
Peccatum frangit ut Christi sanguis et angit,
Dona refert dignis virtutem destruit ignis,
Morte repentina servat Sathanaeque ruina.
Alleluja.
Si quis honoret eum,
Retinet ab hoste triumphum.
Alleluja.

Text Authorship:

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked 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 Guillaume Dufay (c1400 - 1474), "Balsamus et munda cera", 1431 [ vocal quartet], isorhythmic motet [
text verified 1 time
]

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "Balsam and clear wax", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-01-08
Line count: 17
Word count: 66

Balsam and clear wax

Language: English after the Latin

Balsam and clear wax,
Water with consecrated oil,
These make the [model of a] lamb¹ which I give to you
Great as a gift
Born as if from the source,
Sanctified through holy rites;
It deflects thunderbolts from above² and every ill;
The mother giving birth is protected,
She emerges from the birth without pain;
The baby she bears is protected by waves of clear water;
[The lamb] shatters and strangles sin like the blood of Christ, 
It brings gifts to those worthy of them, and destroys the power of fire [hell],
It protects from sudden death and Satan's destruction.
Alleluia.
If anyone honours [the lamb],
It will keep victory back from the enemy.
Alleluia.

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ the Pope was distributing wax 'Agnus Dei' (Lamb of God) figures
² figurative: God's anger (referencing Jupiter's thunderbolts)

Text Authorship:

Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2012 by David Wyatt, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Latin by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2012-07-03
Line count: 17
Word count: 117