Stabat Mater Speciosa

Program Notes / The Program
Based on “You Descend from the Stars”
Text by Jacopone da Todi
c. 1495

Stabat Mater Speciosa
Stabat Mater speciosa
Iuxta foenum gaudiosa
Dum iacebat parvulus.

Cuius animam gaudentem
Laetabundam et ferventem
Pertransivit iubilus.

O quam laeta et beata
Fuit illa immaculata
Mater only begotten!

Quae gaudebat et rideba
Exultabat cum videbat
Nati partum incliti.

Quis est, qui non gauderet
Christi Matrem saw himself
In so much sunshine?

Quis non posset colletari
Piam Matrem contemplaries
Ludentem cum Filio?

Pro peccatis suae gentis
Vidit Iesum cum iumentis
Et algori subditum.

Vidit suum dulcem natum
Vagientum adoratum
Vile diversion.

Nati Christus in praesepe
Coeli cives canunt laete
Cum immense joy.

Stabat senex cum puella
Non cum verb nec loquela
Stupescentes cordibus.

Eia Mater, fons amoris
Me feel vim ardoris
Fac, ut tecum sentiam.

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
In amando Christum Deum
Ut sibi complaceam.

Sancta Mater, istud agas
Place our ducas plagas
Valid fixas ropes.

You were born with lapsi
Iam dignati foeno you are born
Poenas mecum divides.

Fac me tecum congaudere
Iesulino cohaerere
Donec ego vixero.

In me sistat ardor tui
Puerino fac me frui
Dum sum in exilio.

Hunc ardorem fac communem
Ne me facias immunem
Ab hoc desire.

Virgo virginum praeclara
Mihi iam non sis amara
Fac me parvum rapere.

Fac, ut portem pulchrum fortem
Vicit mortem is born here
Volens vitam tradere.

Fac me tecum satiari
Born your intoxication
Stans inter tripodia.

Inflammatus et accensus
Obstupescit omnis sensus
Such decommercio.

Make me born guard
Verb Christi praemuniri
Conservari gratia.

When corpus morietur
Fac, ut animae donetur
Tui born visio.

Amen.

Stabat Mater Speciosa (Italian)
The Blessed Mother stood
Joyful at the hay
Where the little one lay.

His joyful soul
Happy and fervent (of love)
It was filled with jubilation.

Or how happy and blissful
She was immaculate
Mother of the Only Begotten.

She rejoiced and smiled
He exulted as he watched
Her glorious son (the intimate born of childbirth).

Who is there who does not rejoice
In seeing the Mother of Christ
In so much consolation?

Who cannot rejoice together
Contemplating the Mother of Christ
Who plays with the Son?

For the sins of his people
He saw Christ among the mares
And subjected to the cold.

He saw his sweet Born
Cry, adored
In a poor stable.

Christ born in the manger
The heavenly inhabitants sing happily
With immense joy.

There was an old man and a girl
without words, without speaking
amazed in the hearts.

Come on Mother, source of Love
let me feel the strength of ardor
to feel it with you.

Let my heart burn
For the beloved Christ God
So that I can please him.

Holy Mother, do this
Introduces into my heart
The sores by fixing them with force.

Share the pains with me
Of your child who fell from heaven
Who deigned to be born on the hay.

Really make me rejoice with you
follow the little Jesus
as long as I live.

May your ardor be in me
Let me benefit from the little one
As long as I’m in exile.

Make me a partner in this ardor
And don’t let it be excluded
This is what I want.

Glorious virgin among virgins
Don’t be harsh with me
Let me take the Baby.

Let me bring the beautiful Infante
that by being born he conquered death
wanting to give us life.

Let me fill up with you
intoxicate your Son,
standing in the blaze.

Inflamed and ignited
Be amazed at every sense
For so much occupation.

Let me be guarded by your Son
Protect from the Word of God
Keep in grace.

When the body dies
let the soul be given
the vision of your Son.

Amen.

Stabat Mater Speciosa (English)
The beautiful Mother stood
joyously at the crib
in which her child lay.

Through her exultant soul
Dancing with joy
Went a song of rejoicing.

O how jubilant and blessed
was the immaculate
Mother of the Only-begotten.

O how happy and laughing
And exultant did she watch
The birth of her divine son.

Who would not rejoice
If he saw the Mother of Christ
In such comfort?

Who would not jubilant too
Watching Christ’s Mother
Playing with her son?

For the sins of His people
Amidst beasts of burden she saw
Jesus subjected to the cold.

She saw her sweet offspring
That she adored, crying
Swathed in cheap bandages.

For just-born Christ in his crib
The angels sing joyously
And in great rejoicing.

The old man stood at his young wife
Without speaking, and his heart
Filled with unspeakable wonder.

Oh Mother, fountain of love
Make me feel your ardor
Let me share it with you.

Make my heart burn
With the love of Christ-God
And find grace in his eyes.

Blessed Mother, be not harsh
Cause your sufferings
To be fixed deeply in my heart.

With your child from heaven
Let me share my part
Of the penance He deigns to bear.

Make me rejoice with you
and share the adoration of Jesus,
as long as I shall live.

May your ardor fill me
May the child be my refuge
In my exile.

Familiarize me with this ardor
Make that I do not turn
From this desire.

Virgin, most exalted among virgins
Be not bitter towards me
Let me take the child in my arms.

Let me have the strength of him,
Who by his birth conquers death
And is willing to give his life.

Let me be with you fulfilled
Intoxicated with your first-born
Under such good omens.

Thus aflame with fire of love
All feelings are silenced
By such selflessness.

May the first-born protect me
And Christ’s word strengthen me
And his blessing save me.

When my body dies
Then let my soul behold
The sight of your first-born.

Amen.