Pange Lingua Gloriosi - Thomas Aquinas

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 13 March 2008, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. ME SUMMON SELF EXPRESS HIS-lf GLORY.
ME HAVE-FAITH GOD BECOME FLESH.
HIS-lf NOBLE MOTHER GIVE-BIRTH
OUR ETERNAL KING. HE-lf SHED
HIS-lf PRECIOUS BLOOD FOR US.
FOR-FOR? PAY-OFF WORLD SIN.

2. HE-lf BORN FOR US HERE EARTH
FROM VIRGIN PURE, SIN NONE.
HE-lf BECOME MAN UNDERSTAND US.
PLANT-SEEDS WITH US, CAUSE TRUTH GROW.
TIME ARRIVE, HE-lf ACCEPT DEATH.
SUFFERING BRING LIFE FOREVER.

3. DURING NIGHT HIS-lf LAST FEAST,
SIT WITH FOLLOWERS HE-lf CHOOSE.
PASSOVER LAMB FEAST, JOIN.
HE-lf SATISFY COMMANDMENT ANCIENT.
HE-lf OFFER HIS-lf FOLLOWERS
BODY, BLOOD THROUGH BREAD, WINE.

4. WORD BECOME FLESH, NATURAL BREAD
HIS-lf WORD CAUSE BECOME FLESH.
WINE HE-lf CAUSE BECOME HIS-lf BLOOD.
MAYBE WE CAN'T SENSE THAT CHANGE,
ONLY HEART HAVE FAITH CAN SEE.
LEARN THIS LESSON THROUGH-AND-THROUGH.

5. WE BOW-DOWN HIS-lf GLORY WORSHIP.
WE HONOR EUCHARIST HOLY.
KNOW-THAT COVENANT OLD NOW GONE.
GOD WITH GRACE ESTABLISH NEW.
FAITH REPLACE OUR PREVIOUS SIN.
WE NOT-NEED DEPEND OUR SENSE.

6. SALVATION, HONOR, BLESS WHERE FROM?
THE-rt ETERNAL HEAVENLY-FATHER
AND THE-lf SON REIGN IN HEAVEN,
AND THE-ctr HOLY SPIRIT SEND US.
WE BENEFIT FOREVER-AND-EVER.
MIGHT AND GLORY WITHOUT END. AMEN.

(I find it helpful to have the Latin next to the translation to pace myself. Please note that due to restructuring, the ASL may actually be a translation of a different line.)

1. Pange lingua gloriosi
ME SUMMON SELF EXPRESS HIS-lf GLORY.

Corporis mysterium,
ME HAVE-FAITH GOD BECOME FLESH.

Sanguinisque pretiosi,
HIS-lf NOBLE MOTHER GIVE-BIRTH

Quem in mundi pretium
OUR ETERNAL KING. HE-lf SHED

Fructus ventris generosi,
HIS-lf PRECIOUS BLOOD FOR US.

Rex effudit gentium.
FOR-FOR? PAY-OFF WORLD SIN.

2. Nobis datus, nobis natus
2. HE-lf BORN FOR US HERE EARTH

Ex intacta Virgine
FROM VIRGIN PURE, SIN NONE.

Et in mundo conversatus,
HE-lf BECOME MAN UNDERSTAND US.

Sparso verbi semine,
PLANT-SEEDS WITH US CAUSE TRUTH GROW.

Sui moras incolatus
TIME ARRIVE, HE-lf ACCEPT DEATH.

Miro clausit ordine.
SUFFERING BRING LIFE FOREVER.

3. In supremae nocte cenae
3. DURING NIGHT HIS-lf LAST FEAST,

Recum bens cum fratribus,
SIT WITH FOLLOWERS HE-lf CHOOSE.

Observata lege plene
PASSOVER LAMB FEAST, JOIN.

Cibis in legalibus,
HE-lf SATISFY COMMANDMENT ANCIENT.

Cibum turbae duodenae
HE OFFER HIS-lf FOLLOWERS

Se dat suis manibus
BODY, BLOOD THROUGH BREAD, WINE.

4. Verbum caro, panem verum
4. WORD BECOME FLESH, NATURAL BREAD

Verbo carnem efficit:
HIS-lf WORD CAUSE BECOME FLESH.

Fitque sanguis Christi merum,
WINE HE-lf CAUSE BECOME HIS-lf BLOOD.

Et si sensus deficit,
MAYBE WE CAN'T SENSE THAT CHANGE,

Ad firmandum cor sincerum
ONLY HEART HAVE FAITH CAN SEE.

Sola fides sufficit.
LEARN THIS LESSON THROUGH-AND-THROUGH.

5. Tantum ergo Sacramentum
5. WE BOW-DOWN HIS-lf GLORY WORSHIP.

Veneremur cernui:
WE HONOR EUCHARIST HOLY.

Et antiquum documentum
KNOW-THAT COVENANT OLD NOW GONE.

Novo cedat ritui:
GOD WITH GRACE ESTABLISH NEW.

Praestet fides supplementum
FAITH REPLACE OUR PREVIOUS SIN.

Sensuum defectui.
WE NOT-NEED DEPEND OUR SENSE.

6. Genitori, Genitoque
6. SALVATION, HONOR, BLESS WHERE FROM?

Laus et iubilatio,
THE-rt ETERNAL HEAVENLY-FATHER

Salus, honor, virtus quoque
AND THE-lf SON REIGN IN HEAVEN,

Sit et benedictio:
AND THE-ctr HOLY SPIRIT SEND US.

Procedenti ab utroque
WE BENEFIT FOREVER-AND-EVER.

Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
MIGHT AND GLORY WITHOUT END. AMEN.


Notes: ME - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

SAVIOR -S-FREE AGENT.

GLORY - (2h)[5], POs ><, FOs away from signer, DH which is on top wiggles fingers while ascending. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Glory.

HAVE-FAITH/FAITH - Like THINK TRUST but with elevated hands and eyes to show the trust is spiritual. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Faith.

NOBLE - N-ATTITUDE.

GIVE-BIRTH - S-ENTER. Not to be confused with BORN. The child is BORN, the mother GIVE[s]-BIRTH.

ETERNAL - ALWAYS + DH produces STILL in the usual way, and the NDH produces STILL so that it moves back over the shoulder. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Eternal.

SHED - (2h)[C] mime pouring out liquid from cup.

PRECIOUS - (2h)[5:], hold FTs by the sides of the chin and move down while maintaining contact and closing to (2h)[S].

PAY-OFF - [open 8] runs middle finger up palm (> wrist), changes to a [B], PO down, and then moves back across palm.

VIRGIN - V-GIRL.

PURE - Like NICE but the DH moves backwards slightly on the palm, pauses, then moves forward rapidly to show intensity.

SIN - (2h)[X] touch their respective sides of the mouth, descend to neutral space and circle antisymmetrically parallel to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Sin.

PLANT-SEEDS - [O^], PO down, FO away, moves away while closing to an [A].

CAUSE - (2h)[S] are held at the chest as if holding a rope and move forward while opening to (2h)[5]. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - cause.

FEAST - (2h)alt.EAT. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Feast.

PASSOVER - [S] taps thumbside against elbow (like CRACKER). For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - cracker.

ANCIENT - [S], PO > signer, FO away, descends from chin with a wavy motion.

COMMANDMENT - C-LAW.

SENSE - [open 8] is drawn up the chest in one long movement. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - sense (1).

THROUGH-AND-THROUGH - The sign THROUGH is repeated with the DH moving between the fingers of the NDH the other way.

WORSHIP - NDH is clasped over DH [S] and hands circle perpendicular to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Worship.

EUCHARIST - [F], PO > signer's face, FO up, makes the sign of the cross at the mouth.

HOLY - H-CLEAN. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Holy - 1.

KNOW-THAT - Starts like KNOW but twists and descends, looking almost like DON'T-KNOW except the hand twists down at the end.

COVENANT - AGREE RELATIONSHIP-WITH-God.

GRACE - [O^] or [S], held high and PO > Heaven, supinates and opens to [5] while being brought towards head. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Grace.

PREVIOUS - [B] is held palm down over shoulder and waves slightly.

SALVATION - S-FREE.

BLESS - (2h)[O^], POs ><, held at mouth. Hands are brought downwards while opening to (2h)[5]. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Bless.

HEAVENLY-FATHER - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH is held against forehead, NDH close to but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards. HEAVEN may be added to this. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Heavenly Father - 1.

REIGN - CONTROL.

FOREVER-AND-EVER - ALWAYS + DH [Y], PO > signer, FO up, swings outwards with PO turning away. With DH still held in its final position, NDH [Y], PO > signer, FO up, swings outwards with PO turning away.

MIGHT - (2h)[S], POs > back of signer, FOs up, are held at NDS and fists descend, then repeat at DS.

AMEN - (2h)[B], FOs up, are pressed together and brought down in a long, deliberate motion. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Amen.

Lyrics:

1. Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory,
of His flesh the mystery sing;
of the Blood, all price exceeding,
shed by our immortal King,
destined, for the world's redemption,
from a noble womb to spring.

2. Of a pure and spotless Virgin
born for us on earth below,
He, as Man, with man conversing,
stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
then He closed in solemn order
wondrously His life of woe.

3. On the night of that Last Supper,
seated with His chosen band,
He the Pascal victim eating,
first fulfills the Law's command;
then as Food to His Apostles
gives Himself with His own hand.

4. Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature
by His word to Flesh He turns;
wine into His Blood He changes;
what though sense no change discerns?
Only be the heart in earnest,
faith her lesson quickly learns.

5. Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! o'er ancient forms departing,
newer rites of grace prevail;
faith for all defects supplying,
where the feeble senses fail.

6. To the everlasting Father,
and the Son who reigns on high,
with the Holy Ghost proceeding
forth from Each eternally,
be salvation, honor, blessing,
might and endless majesty. Amen.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a musical setting of these lyrics (without words), go to Pange Lingua Gloriosi.

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