The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Dies Irae

by Patrick Francis Moran

THE SEQUENCE FOR THE DEAD.

The day of wrath, that dreadful day,	Dies irae, dies illa,
Shall the whole world in ashes lay,	Solvet saeculum in favilla,
As David and the Sibyl say.	Teste David cum Sibylla.
What horror must invade the mind,	Quantus tremor est futurus,
When the approaching Judge shall find	Quando Judex est venturus,
Few venial faults in all mankind!	Cuncta stricte discussurus!
The last loud trumpet's wond'rous sound	Tuba mirum spargens sonum
Shall through the rending tombs rebound,	Per sepulchra regionum,
And wake the nations under ground.	Coget omnes ante thronum.
Nature and death shall with surprise	Mors stupebit, et natura,
Behold the trembling sinner rise,	Cum resurget creatura,
To view his Judge with conscious eyes.	Judicanti responsura.
Then shall, with universal fear,	Liber scriptus proferetur,
The seven-sealed judgment book appear,	In quo totum continetur,
To scan the whole of life's career.	Unde mundus judicetur.
The Judge ascends his awful throne,	Judex ergo cum sedebit,
Each secret sin shall here be known.	Quidquid latet, apparebit.
All must their shame confess their own.	Nil inultum remanebit.
Ah, wretched! what shall I then say,	Quid sum, miser! tunc dicturus,
What patron find, my fears t'allay,	Quem patronum rogaturus,
When even the just shall dread that day?	Cum vix justus sit securus?
Thou mighty, formidable King!	Rex tremendæ majestatis!
Of mercy uuexhausted spring!	Qui salvandos salvas gratis!
Save me! O save! and comfort bring.	Salva me fons pietatis.
Remember what my ransom cost;	Recordare Jesu pie,
Let not my dear-bought soul be lost.	Quod sum causa tuæ viæ;
In storms of guilty terrors tost.	Ne me perdas illa die.
In search of me why feel such pain;	Quærens me, sedisti lassus:
Why on thy cross such pangs sustain,	Redemisti, crucem passus,
If now those sufferings must be vain?	Tantus labor non sit casus.
Avenging Judge, whom all obey,	Juste Judex ultionis,
Cancel my debt, too great to pay,	Donum fac remissionis
Before the sad accounting day.	Ante diem rationis.
O'erwhelmed, oppressed with doubts and fears,	Ingemisco tanquam reus,
Their load my soul in anguish bears:	Culpa rubet vultus meus,
I sigh, I weep—accept my tears.	Supplicanti parce, Deus.
Thou, who wert moved at Mary’s grief,	Qui Mariam absolvisti,
Who didst absolve the dying thief,	Et latronem exaudisti,
Dost bid me hope, O grant relief.	Mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Reject not my unworthy prayer,	Preces meæ non sunt dignæ,
Preserve me from the dangerous snare,	Sed tu bonus fac beninge,
Which death and gaping hell prepare.	Ne perenni cremer igne.
Give my immortal soul a place	Inter oves locum præsta,
Among thy chosen right-hand race.	Et ab hædis me sequestra,
The sons of God and heirs of grace.	Statuens in parte dextra.
From that insatiate abyss,	Confutatis maledictis,
Where flames devour and serpents hiss,	Flammis acribus addictis,
Deliver me, and raise to bliss.	Voca me cum benedictis.
Prostrate my contrite heart I rend,	Oro supplex et acclinis,
My God, my father, and my friend,	Cor contritum quasi cinis,