Memorare Mater Christi a 7 (Matthaeus Pipelare)

Latin and Spanish text

I.

Memorare, Mater Christi,
Perturbata quae fuisti,
Dum per Symeonis dictum
Prescivisti cordis ictum.

Ab Herodem fugiendo,
Tibi, Virgo, condolendo,
Precamur, ut a reatu
Solvamur tuo precatu.

Auxiata plus fuisti,
Filium dum perdidisti,
Lagrimando non cessabas,
Donec Jesum, quem amabas,

Reperisti: supplicamus,
Per te Jesum sic queramus,
Ut in hora mortis dirae
Mereamur invenire.

Rersum, Virgo, doluisti
Captum natum cum scevisti,
Dumque crucem bajulabat
Et in mortem properabat.

Fac nos crucem venerari,
Ut per eam assignari
Mereamur mortis hora,
Christo regi sine mora.

II.

Iam te, Matrem gloriosam,
Juxta crucem lacrymosam,
Perforatam gladio
Doloris pie recolo.

Fac nos tibi condolere,
Mortem Jesum tecum flere,
Ne ingrati desperemus,
Sed in fide recta stemus.

Alma Virgo Redemptoris,
Recordare nunc doloris,
Quem in corde sustulisti,
Quando Jesum sepulisti.

Fac nos tibi famulatos
Exhibere semper gratos,
Ut nostrae mortis certamen
Per te fiat dulce. Amen.

Cantus firmus:

Nunca fué pena mayor
Nin tormento extraño
Que iguale con el dolor
Que resçibo engaño.
Y este conocimiento
Hace mis dias tan tristes.

English translation
by Mick Swithinbank

I.

Remember, mother of Christ,
how distraught you were
when Simeon's words gave you
the presentiment of sorrow to come.

We pray to you, Virgin,
Who fled from Herod and deserve
our sympathy, to intercede
for forgiveness of our sins.

You suffered even more
When you lost your son,
And did not cease to lament
Until you regained Jesus, whom you loved.

We beg that we may so
seek Jesus through you
That we shall deserve to find him
in the hour of our death.

Again, Virgin, you suffered
When your son, who, as you knew,
had been captured, bore his cross
and hurried to his death.

Help us so to honour the cross that,
thanks to it, at the hour of our death
We may deserve to be delivered
at once to Christ the King.

II.

Now, glorious mother,
I remember how you
Wept by the cross,
Pierced by the sword of pain.

Let us share your sorrow,
And weep with you at Jesus's death,
That we ungrateful people may not despair
But be upheld by the true faith.

Kind Virgin of the Redeemer,
Remember now the sorrow
Which you bore in your heart
When you buried Jesus.

Help us always to be grateful to you
As your servants,
That through you our death struggle
May be sweet. Amen.

Cantus firmus:

Never was there greater sorrow
Or torment more extreme
Than those which have
been visited on me.
And this knowledge
Fills my days with misery.