Consors paterni luminis

O Light of Light, O Dayspring bright

Consors paterni luminis,
Lux ipse lucis, et dies,
Noctem canendo rumpimus:
Assiste postulantibus.
Aufer tenebras mentium,
Fuga catervas dæmonum,
Expelle somnolentiam,
Ne pigritantes obruat.
Sic Christe nobis omnibus
Indulgeas credentibus,
Ut prosit exorantibus,
Quod præcinentes psalliums.
Præsta, Pater piissime,
Patrique compar Unice,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito
Regnans per omne sæculum.

O Light of Light, O Dayspring bright,
Co-equal in Thy Father’s light:
Assist us, as with prayer and psalm
Thy servants break the twilight calm.
All darkness from our minds dispel,
And turn to flight the hosts of hell:
Bid sleepfulness out eyelids fly,
Lest overwhelmed in sloth we lie.
Jesu, Thy pardon, kind and free,
Bestow on us who trust in Thee:
And as Thy praises we declare,
O with acceptance hear our prayer.
O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;
Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

Author: St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. W. Chadwick and J. D. Chambers. There are twelve translations.

“O Sharer of the Father’s Light, Thyself the Light of Light, and Day; aid Thou Thy suppliants who interrupt the night with song.” See the note on the first stanza of the preceding hymn.
“Dispel the darkness of our minds, put to flight the hosts of evil spirits, drive away drowsiness lest it overwhelm the slothful.”
“So, O Christ, grant pardon to all of us who believe in Thee, that what we singing express in our songs, may be profitable to Thy suppliants.” Præcinere 3, to sing or play before, to praise.