Laudes Creaturarum
[Cantico di Frate Sole]

by St Francis of Assisi

It is one of the oldest poems in Italian literature, composed in the illustrious Umbrian vernacular and not in Latin because Saint Francis wanted to reach a vast audience. The metric form of the composition is rhythmic assonance prose or rhymed with stanzas of two, three, or five long verses of irregular size. Inspired by the model of the biblical Psalms of David, the Canticle was intended for singing.

It expresses with awesome simplicity the admiration for the beauty of creation and exhorts peace, forgiveness, and acceptance of suffering as a means of purification, leading to eternal bliss. Reading this poem today means returning to reflect on the meaning of peace in a time like ours, obsessed with increasingly dangerous and destructive wars. I will carry out this reflection in another post on this blog.

St. Francis preaching to the birds outside of Bevagna (Master of St. Francis).
Public Domain.

Altissimu, onnipotente, bon Signore,
tue so’ le laude, la gloria e l’honore et onne benedictione.

Ad te solo, Altissimo, se konfano,
et nullu homo ène dignu te mentovare.

Laudato sie, mi’ Signore, cum tucte le tue creature,
spetialmente messor lo frate sole,
lo qual’è iorno, et allumini noi per lui.
Et ellu è bellu e radiante cum grande splendore:
de te, Altissimo, porta significatione.

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora luna e le stelle:
in celu l’ài formate clarite et pretiose et belle.

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per frate vento
et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo,
per lo quale a le tue creature dài sustentamento.

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

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per frate focu,
per lo quale ennallumini la nocte:
ed elio è bello et iocundo et robustoso et forte.

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora nostra matre terra,
la quale ne sustenta et governa,
et produce diversi fructi con coloriti fiori et herba.

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

Beati quelli ke ‘I sosterrano in pace,
ka da te, Altissimo, sirano incoronati.

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora nostra morte corporale,
da la quale nullu homo vivente pò skappare:
guai a·cquelli ke morrano ne le peccata mortali;
beati quelli ke trovarà ne le tue sanctissime voluntati,
ka la morte secunda no ‘I farrà male.

Laudate e benedicete mi’ Signore et rengratiate
e serviateli cum grande humilitate.

The Canticle of Brother Sun

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honour
And all blessing.
To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy
To pronounce your name.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,
And first my lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you have made them, bright
And precious and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
So useful, lowly, precious, and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how gay! Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon
For love of you; through those who endure
Sickness and trial.
Happy those who endure in peace,
By you, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those She finds doing your will!
The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,
And serve him with great humility.

*** The Italian preposition per is used in the meaning of instrumentality, that is, by means of or through. In this perspective, the praise is not directed to the creatures, nor to Almighty God for the creatures: it means “be praised Lord through the moon and the stars.” However, per can also indicate “agency” (by): “be praised by the moon” or “cause”: “because you created the moon.”

Bibliography

Francesco d’Assisi. “Il cantico di Frate Sole,” in Poeti Del Duecento. Edited by G. Contini. Milano-Napoli: Riccardo Ricciardi, 1960, pp. 33-34.

Francis of Assisi. “The Canticle of Brother Sun,” translated by Benen Fahy. In Habig Marion A and John R. H Moorman. St. Francis of Assisi: Writings and Early Biographies; English Omnibus of the Sources for the Life of St. Francis. 3rd rev ed. Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press 1973, pp. 130-131.