DIVINUM OFFICIUM Hymn

En clara vox redarguit

Hymn at Lauds - Advent

"En clara vox redarguit" is the Lauds hymn for the entire Advent season, attributed to St. Ambrose (4th century). Its imagery of awakening from sleep echoes Romans 13:11-12, the Epistle for Advent I Sunday. The hymn presents Advent's dual eschatological focus: Christ's first coming as the Lamb who pardons, and His second coming as Judge. The final stanza's plea for protection "from all enemies" reflects the militia Christi theme central to Advent spirituality.

LATINE
En clara vox redarguit
Obscura quaeque, personans:
Procul fugentur somnia:
Ab alto Jesus promicat.
Mens jam resurgat, torpida
Non amplius jacens humi:
Sidus refulget jam novum,
Ut tollat omne noxium.
En Agnus ad nos mittitur
Laxare gratis debitum:
Omnes simul cum lacrimis
Precemur indulgentiam;
Ut, cum secundo fulserit,
Metuque mundum cinxerit,
Non pro reatu puniat,
Sed nos pius tunc protegat.
Virtus, honor, laus, gloria
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito,
In saeculorum saecula. Amen.
ENGLISH
Hark! an awful voice is sounding;
Christ is nigh! it seems to say;
Cast away the dreams of darkness,
O ye children of the day!
Startled at the solemn warning,
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
Lo! the Lamb so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav'n;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiven.
So when next He comes with glory,
Wrapping all the earth in fear,
May He then as our Defender,
On the clouds of Heav'n appear.
Honour, glory, virtue, merit,
To the Father and the Son,
With the co-eternal Spirit,
While eternal ages run. Amen.
NOTA
FONS
Breviarium Romanum (1962)
USUS
Hymn at Lauds - Advent
HORA
Lauds
TEMPVS
advent
GENVS
Hymn