Vox clara ecce intonat

The original version of the hymn dates from the 6th century.{{cite web |title=Vox Clara Ecce Intonat: Newman's 'Hark! a gladsome voice is thrilling' |url=https://aclerkofoxford.blogspot.com/2011/12/vox-clara-ecce-intonat-hark-gladsome.html |website=A clerk of Oxford |date=6 December 2011 |access-date=9 November 2018}} Whilst it has been attributed to a number of different authors, including St Ambrose, it is generally recorded in modern books as "anonymous."{{cite web |title=Vox clara ecce intonat |url=https://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/v/vox-clara-ecce-intonat |website=The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology |access-date=9 November 2018}} As a result of Pope Urban VIII's revision of the Breviary, the hymn was re-written in a more classical Latin style and published in 1632, with the opening line "En clara vox redarguit."{{cite book |last1=Adey |first1=Lionel |title=Chapter 6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K-l1UD2jIKIC&q=vox+clara+ecce+intonat+urban&pg=PA41 |website=Hymns and the Christian Myth |date=August 1986 |publisher=UBC Press |isbn=9780774802574 |access-date=9 November 2018 |ref=p41}}

The hymn is written in iambic dimeter{{cite web |title=En vox clara redarguit |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/en-clara-vox-redarguit |website=Encyclopedia.Com |access-date=9 November 2018}} and it is a retelling of the preaching of John the Baptist, announcing the coming of Christ in Luke's Gospel.

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Vox clara ecce intonat

1 VOX clara ecce intonat,

obscura quaeque increpat:

procul fugentur somnia;

ab aethere Christus promicat.

2 Mens iam resurgat torpida

quae sorde exstat saucia;

sidus refulget iam novum,

ut tollat omne noxium.

3 E sursum Agnus mittitur

laxare gratis debitum;

omnes pro indulgentia

vocem demus cum lacrimis,

4 Secundo ut cum fulserit

mundumque horror cinxerit,

non pro reatu puniat,

sed nos pius tunc protegat.

5 Summo Parenti gloria

Natoque sit victoria,

et Flamini laus debita

per saeculorum saecula. Amen.{{cite web |title=The Advent Office |url=http://chantblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/advent-office-part-i.html |website=Chant Blog |date=29 November 2008 |access-date=9 November 2018}}

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En clara vox redarguit

1 En clara vox redarguit

Obscura quaeque personans:

Procul fugentur somnia:

Ab alto Jesus promicat.

2 Mens jam resurgat torpida,

Non amplius jacens humi:

Sidus refulget jam novum,

Ut tollat omne noxium.

3 En Agnus ad nos mittitur

Laxare gratis debitum:

Omnes simul cum lacrimis

Precemur indulgentiam:

4 Ut, cum secundo fulserit,

Metuque mundum cinxerit,

Non pro reatu puniat,

Sed nos pius tunc protegat.

5 Virtus, honor, laus, gloria

Deo Patri cum Filio,

Sancto simul Paraclito,

In sæculorum saecula.{{cite web |title=En clara vox redarguit |url=https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/NonEnglish/en_clara_vox_redarguit.htm |website=Hymns and Carols of Christmas |access-date=9 November 2018}}

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It is estimated that there are at least 27 English translations of the hymn.{{cite web |title=En clara vox redarguit |url=https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/NonEnglish/en_clara_vox_redarguit.htm |website=Hymns and Carols of Christmas |access-date=9 November 2018}} The following examples were widely used in the nineteenth and twentieth century.

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John Henry Newman

1 Hark, a joyful voice is thrilling,

And each dim and winding way

Of the ancient temple filling ;

Dreams depart, for it is day.

2 Christ is coming — from thy bed,

Earth-bound soul, awake and spring —

With the sun new-risen to shed

Health on human suffering.

3 Lo, to grant a pardon free,

Comes a willing Lamb from heaven ;

Sad and tearful, hasten we,

One and all, to be forgiven.

4 Once again he comes in light

Girding earth with fear and woe ;

Lord, be thou our loving might,

From our guilt and ghostly foe.

5 To the Father and the Son

And the Spirit, who in heaven

Ever witness, Three and One,

Praise on earth be ever given.

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John Mason Neale

1 A THRILLING voice by Jordan rings,

rebuking guilt and darksome things:

vain dreams of sin and visions fly;

Christ in His might shines forth on high.

2 Now let each torpid soul arise,

that sunk in guilt and wounded lies;

see! the new Star's refulgent ray

shall chase disease and sin away.

3 The Lamb descends from heaven above

to pardon sin with freest love:

for such indulgent mercy shewn

with tearful joy our thanks we own.

4 That when again He shines revealed,

and trembling worlds to terror yield.

He give not sin its just reward,

but in His love protect and guard.

5 To the most high Parent glory be

and to the Son be victory,

and to the Spirit praise is owed

from age to age eternally. Amen{{cite web |title=The Advent Office |url=http://chantblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/advent-office-part-i.html |website=Chant Blog |date=29 November 2008 |access-date=9 November 2018}}

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Edward Caswall

1 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding:

'Christ is nigh,' it seems to say;

'Cast away the dreams of darkness,

O ye children of the day!'

2 Wakened to the solemn warning,

Let the earth-bound soul arise;

Christ, her Sun, all ill dispelling,

Shines upon the morning skies.

3 Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,

Comes with pardon down from heaven;

Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,

One and all to be forgiven;

4 That when next he comes with glory,

And the world is wrapped in fear,

With his mercy he may shield us,

And with words of love draw near.

5 Honour, glory, might, and blessing,

To the Father and the Son,

With the everlasting Spirit,

While eternal ages run.{{cite web |title=Hark! A herald voice is calling |url=https://hymnary.org/hymn/NEH1985/5 |website=Hymnary.Org |access-date=9 November 2018}}

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The Caswell translation is often sung to the tune Merton (87.87) by William Henry Monk.See "Together in Song: Australian Hymn Book II" (Harper Collins Religious: 1999) or "Lutheran Hymnal" (Lutheran Publishing House: 1973)

• List of Roman Catholic hymns
• Canonical Hours
• Lauds

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• [https://media.musicasacra.com/pdf/hymnsofbreviary.pdf Matthew Britt, The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal, Benziger Brothers, New York, 1922]
• [https://media.musicasacra.com/pdf/pangelingua.pdf Alan Mc Dovgall, Pange Lingua: Breviary Hymns of old uses with an English rendering, Burns & Oates 1916]
• [http://www.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/15/04/27/14-16-11_0.pdf Joseph Connelly, Hymns of the Roman Liturgy, 1957.]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhYvMqMKzNI Vox clara ecce intonat] performed by Ensemble Officium
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHg53fDZaVs Hark! A Herald Voice is Calling], sung (to the tune "Merton") by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge

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Category:Catholic liturgy

Category:Christian hymns in Latin

Category:Latin religious words and phrases

Category:Liturgy of the Hours