Pange Lingua in Old English - Easter Hymn

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Here is my translation, arrangement and performance of the wonderful Pange Lingua by Saint Thomas Aquinas in Old English, in honour of Holy Week.

I’ve done what I can to preserve the meaning, rhyming signature and the cadence of the original, but naturally there are some compromises as with any translation.

I hope you enjoy, and may you all have a blessed Easter.

I do not own any of the artworks in this video - they have been selected for educational purposes. All credit goes to the original artists and I would be happy to remove them if so required

Sing be rūne, mīn tunge,
þæs þrymlīċan Līchaman
and lēofan Blōdes, ēawunge,
þe for worolde wann
ealra þēoda Hēahþungen,
þe of wifawynne wearð Mann.

Sing of the mystery, my tongue,
of the glorious Body
and precious Blood, openly,
which for the world toiled
the One Exalted by all nations
who from the Joy of Women (Mary) became Man.

Ūs ġeġefen, ūs ġeboren
of þām ælclǣnan Mǣdene
On worolde, Gode ġecoren,
Hē būde mid fērrǣdene
ǣr Hē wæs fēondum begroren
and gāst ofġeaf gladiende.

To us given, to us born
of the All-Pure Virgin.
In the world, Chosen by God
He lived in fellowship
ere he was overwhelmed by fiends
and gave up His spirit brilliantly.

Æt His ǣfengereorde
healdende þā ǣw hāliġan
He sæt mid his heorde
and ǣt þā metas rihtan.
And þām twelfum ġeald meorde:
Hine sylfne, mid His handan.

At His supper,
keeping the sacred law
He sat with his flock
and ate the prescribed foods.
And to the twelve paid reward:
Himself, with His hand.

And þæt Word wæs flǣsċ ġeworden,
swā Hē hlāf tō flǣsċe dyde,
And wīn dyde tō His Blōde.
And ġif mannes witt ne dyġe
tō trymmenne heortan twēode
þā ġelēafa blissaþ hyġe.

And the Word was made Flesh,
just as He turned bread to Flesh
and turned wine to His Blood.
And if man’s wit alone does not avail
to strengthen doubted hearts,
then faith gladdens the mind.

Forþām tō þām Hūsle scīnendan
uton feallan āstrehte.
Sē ealda trēowa, wīcende,
is ġedōn tō Nīwum Rihte.
Mannes witt waniende
holpen is fram lēafan mihte.

Therefore, before the brilliant Sacrament,
let us fall prostrate.
The old covenant, giving way,
is made a New Rite.
Man’s wit waning
is aided by the power of faith.

Þām Cennende and þām Cennedan
wuldor and wynn sīen,
grēting, ār, strengþu and
bletsung and þanc ġīen.
Him þe cymþ of Fæder and Suna
efenlofu ēac sīen.
Amen.

To the Begetter and the Begotten
be praise and joy,
greeting, honour, strength and
blessing and thanks also.
To Him Who proceeds from Father and Son
be equal praises too.
Amen.


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