Canticle of the sun

The canticle of the sun
by Franciscus of Assisi



1Altissimu onnipotente bon signore,
tue so le laude, la gloria e l'onore et onne benedictione.

Most high, all powerul good Lord,
yours are the praises, the glory and the honour and every blessing.

2Ad te solo, altissimo, se konfano,
et nullu homo ene dignu te mentovare.

To you alone, most high, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to pronounce your name.

3Laudato sie, mi signore, cun tucte le tue creature,
spetialmente messor lo frate sole,
lo qual'è iorno, et allumini noi per loi.

Be praised, my Lord, with/through all your creatures,
especially through the lord brother sun,
which is the day, and you illuminate us through him.

4Et ellu è bellu e radiante con grande splendore,
de te, altissimo, porta significatione.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,
of you, highness, does he carry the likliness.

5Laudato si, mi signore, per sora luna e le stelle,
in celu l'ài formate clarite et pretiose et belle.

Be praised, my lord, for/through sister moon and the stars,
in heaven you have mad them, clear and precious and beautiful.

6Laudato si, mi signore, per frate vento,
et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo,
per lo quale a le tue creature dai sustentamento.

Be praised, my lord, for/through brother wind,
and for/through the air and the clouds and storms and all the weather,
through which you give your creatures sustenance.

7Laudato si, mi signore, per sor aqua,
la quale è multo utile et humile et pretiosa et casta.

Be praised, my lord, for/through sister water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

8Laudato si, mi signore, per frate focu,
per lo quale enn'allumini la nocte,
ed ello è bello et iocundo et robustoso et forte.

Be praised, my lord, for/through brother fire,
through which you enlight the night,
and he is beautiful and strong and cheerful and powerful and strong.

9Laudato si, mi signore, per sora nostra matre terra,
la quale ne sustenta et governa,
et produce diversi fructi con coloriti flori et herba.

Be praised, my lord, for/through our sister mother earth,
which sustains and governs us,
and makes different fruits with colourful flowers and herbs.

10Laudato si, mi signore, per quelli ke perdonano per lo tuo amore,
et sostengo infirmitate et tribulatione.

Be praised, my lord, for those who forgive for/through your love,
and who carry weakness and trial.

11Beati quelli ke 'l sosterrano in pace,
ka da te, altissimo, sirano incoronati.

Blessed be thouse who will endure it in peace,
for from you, highness, they will be crowned.

12Laudato si, mi signore, per sora nostra morte corporale,
da la quale nullu homo vivente po' skappare.

Be praised, my lord, for/through our sister bodily death,
from which no living human can escape.

13Guai a quelli, ke morrano ne le peccata mortali:
beati quelli ke trovarà ne le tue sanctissime voluntati,
ka la morte secunda nol farrà male.

Woe to those, who die in mortal sins:
blessed those whom she will find in your most holy will,
The second death does them no harm.

14Laudate et benedicete mi signore,
et rengratiate et serviateli cun grande humilitate.

Praise and bless my Lord,
and thank and obey him with great humility.

When Franciscus wrote these lines, he already lay dying.
A beautiful thing to be written in such a moment of
weakness and trial (cf verses 10 and 11).