Quatre Motets sur des Thèmes Grégoriens (Maurice Duruflé)

Four beautiful if challenging little gems, a 1960 re-imagining of plainsong. Leaning on the marked syllables (á, é, etc) rather than the first beat after every irregular bar-line adds to the effect.

UBI CARITAS
Ubi cáritas et ámor, Déus ibi est.	Where (there is) charity and love, God is there.
Congregávit nos in únum Chrísti ámor.	We are gathered into one by Christ’s love.
Exsultémus et in ípso jucundémur.	Let us rejoice and, in him, be happy.
Timeámus et amémus Déum vívum.	Let us revere and love the living God.
Et ex córde diligámus nos sincéro.	And from the heart we are diligent by being genuine.
Amen.	Amen.
TOTA PULCHRA ES
Tóta púlchra es, María, et mácula originális non est in te.	You are wholly beautiful, Mary, and original sin is not (found) in you.
Vestiméntum túum cándidum quasi nix, et fácies túa sicut sol.	Your clothes are as white as snow, and your face is like the sun.
Tu glória Jerúsalem, tu laetítia Israel, tu honorificéntia pópuli nóstri.	You (are the) glory of Jerusalem, you (are the) joy of Israel, you (are the) honour of our people.
TU ES PETRUS
Tu es Pétrus, et super hanc pétram edificábo ecclésiam méam.	You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.
TANTUM ERGO
Tántum érgo sacraméntum venerémur cérnui,	Only because of this sacrament let us bow low,
Et antíquum documéntum novo cédat rítui,	And let the old law give way to the new rite,
Praéstet fídes suppleméntum sénsuum deféctui.	Let faith make up for our deficient senses.
Genitóri genitóque laus et jubilátio, sálus, hónor, vírtus quóque;	To the begetter and the begotten praise and jubilation, salvation, honour and power also;
sit et benedíctio, procedénti ab utróque cómpar sit laudátio.	And be there blessing, to the one proceeding from both let there equally be praise.
Amen.	Amen.

Amen. The usual translation is so let it be. But it's also the verily in verily I say unto you – a solemn afirmation.

Petrus, petram. A contender for the world's most venerable pun. Two very similar words, meaning Peter and rock, but in different forms because they have different functions in the sentence. It's easier in french, which uses Pierre for both meanings and both functions. Or of course if Mr Hudson had been a bit godlier …

Ergo. Best known as the therefore in I think therefore I am (cogito ergo sum), but can also do the opposite job in logic and mean because.

Genitori genitoque. I've used the biblical begetter and begotten to emphasise how similar the two words are. The que on the end is a neat way of saying slightly more than just and, of emphasising that two words are strongly paired.