Psalmorum 104
1 Ipsi David. Benedic anima mea Domino: Domine Deus meus magnificatus es vehementer. Confessionem, et decorem induisti:
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great, clad in awful splendour,
2 amictus lumine sicut vestimento: Extendens cælum sicut pellem:
covered with robe of light. You stretch out the heavens like the cloth of a tent.
3 qui tegis aquis superiora eius. Qui ponis nubem ascensum tuum: qui ambulas super pennas ventorum.
He lays the beams of his chambers on water. He takes dark clouds for his chariot, and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 Qui facis angelos tuos, spiritus: et ministros tuos ignem urentem.
He takes the winds for his messengers, the fire and the flame for his servants.
5 Qui fundasti terram super stabilitatem suam: non inclinabitur in sæculum sæculi.
He founded the earth upon pillars, to sustain it unshaken forever.
6 Abyssus, sicut vestimentum, amictus eius: super montes stabunt aquæ.
With the garment of ocean he covered it, waters towered over the mountains.
7 Ab increpatione tua fugient: a voce tonitrui tui formidabunt.
But at your rebuke they fled, scared by the roar of your thunder,
8 Ascendunt montes: et descendunt campi in locum, quem fundasti eis.
mountains rose, valleys sank down to the place appointed for them.
9 Terminum posuisti, quem non transgredientur: neque convertentur operire terram.
They dared not pass the bounds set for them, or cover the earth any more.
10 Qui emittis fontes in convallibus: inter medium montium pertransibunt aquæ.
He sent brooks into the valleys, they meander between the mountains.
11 Potabunt omnes bestiæ agri: expectabunt onagri in siti sua.
The wild beasts all drink from them, and the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 Super ea volucres cæli habitabunt: de medio petrarum dabunt voces.
The birds have their home by the banks, and sing in the branches.
13 Rigans montes de superioribus suis: de fructu operum tuorum satiabitur terra:
From his chambers above he gives drink to the mountains, and satisfies earth with the vials of heaven.
14 Producens fœnum iumentis, et herbam servituti hominum: Ut educas panem de terra:
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and herbs for people. He brings bread out of the earth;
15 et vinum lætificet cor hominis: Ut exhilaret faciem in oleo: et panis cor hominis confirmet.
wine, to gladden hearts; oil, to make faces shine; bread, to strengthen hearts.
16 Saturabuntur ligna campi, et cedri Libani, quas plantavit:
The trees of the Lord drink their fill the cedars he planted on Lebanon,
17 illic passeres nidificabunt. Herodii domus dux est eorum:
where the little birds build their nest, and the stork whose home is the cypress.
18 montes excelsi cervis: petra refugium herinaciis.
The high hills are for the wild goats, and the rocks are for coneys to hide in.
19 Fecit lunam in tempora: sol cognovit occasum suum.
He created the moon to mark seasons, and told the sun when to set.
20 Posuisti tenebras, et facta est nox: in ipsa pertransibunt omnes bestiæ silvæ.
You make it dark: night comes, when all the wild beasts creep out.
21 Catuli leonum rugientes, ut rapiant, et quærant a Deo escam sibi.
Young lions that roar for their prey, seeking their meat from God.
22 Ortus est sol, et congregati sunt: et in cubilibus suis collocabuntur.
At sunrise they slink away, and lie down in their dens.
23 Exibit homo ad opus suum: et ad operationem suam usque ad vesperum.
Then people go forth to their work, and toil till evening.
24 Quam magnificata sunt opera tua Domine! omnia in sapientia fecisti: impleta est terra possessione tua.
How many, O Lord, are your works, all of them made in wisdom! The earth is filled with your creatures.
25 Hoc mare magnum, et spatiosum manibus: illic reptilia, quorum non est numerus. Animalia pusilla cum magnis:
And there is the great broad sea, where are countless things in motion, living creatures, both great and small.
26 illic naves pertransibunt. Draco iste, quem formasti ad illudendum ei:
There go the ships, and the Leviathan you made to play there.
27 omnia a te expectant ut des illis escam in tempore.
They all look in hope to you, to give them their food in due season.
28 Dante te illis, colligent: aperiente te manum tuam, omnia implebuntur bonitate.
And you give with open hand; they gather and eat to their heart’s desire.
29 Avertente autem te faciem, turbabuntur: auferes spiritum eorum, et deficient, et in pulverem suum revertentur.
When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take their breath away, they die and go back to their dust.
30 Emittes Spiritum tuum, et creabuntur: et renovabis faciem terræ.
But a breath from your lips creates them, and renews the face of the earth.
31 Sit gloria Domini in sæculum: lætabitur Dominus in operibus suis:
May the glory of the Lord be forever, may the Lord rejoice in his works.
32 Qui respicit terram, et facit eam tremere: qui tangit montes, et fumigant.
A glance of his makes the earth tremble, a touch of his makes the hills smoke.
33 Cantabo Domino in vita mea: psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum.
I will sing to the Lord while I live, I will play to my God while I am.
34 Iucundum sit ei eloquium meum: ego vero delectabor in Domino.
May my musing be sweet to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.
35 Deficiant peccatores a terra, et iniqui ita ut non sint: benedic anima mea Domino.
But may sinners be swept from the earth, and the wicked vanish forever. O my soul, bless the Lord. Hallelujah.
