4 death from his soul and body. Whilst this lighted candle lies concealed behind, or at the corner of the altar, the Miserere psalm is sung in a plaintive, supplicating tone, to implore the mercy of God, and beg the effects of the Death of Christ on us; and the producing of it again publicly, denotes his glorious Resurrection. The Latin word Tenebræ, from which the name of this office takes its derivation, refers to that extraordinary Eclipse of the Sun, which spread an universal darkness over the face of the earth, whilst the Redeemer of mankind hung on the Cross. ALVUM me fac, Deus: * quoniam intraverunt aquæ usque ad animam meam. 2. Infixus sum in limo profundi : * et non est substantia. 3. Veni in altitudinem maris: * et tempestas demersit me. 4. Laboravi clamans, raucæ factæ sunt fauces meæ :* defecerunt oculi mei, dum spero in Deum meum. 5. Multiplicati sunt super capillos capitis mei, * qui oderunt me gratis. 6. Confortati sunt qui persecuti sunt me inimici mei injuste: * quæ non rapui, tunc exolvebam. 7. Deus, tu scis insipi AVE me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul. 2. I stick fast in the mire of the deep and there is no sure standing. 3. I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed me. 4. I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God. 5. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me with 12. Quoniam zelus domus tuæ comedit me:* et opprobria exprobrantium tibi, ceciderunt super me. 13. Et operui in jejunio animam meam : * et factum est in opprobrium mihi. 14. Et posui vestimentum meum cilicium:* et factus sum illis in parabolam. 15. Adversum meloquebantur qui sedebant in porta: et in me psallebant qui bibebant vinum. 16. Ego vero orationem meam ad te, Domine: est my foolishness, and my offences are not hid from thee. 8. Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of Hosts. 9. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel. 10. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach : shame hath covered my face. 11. I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother. 12. For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me. 13. And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me. 14. And I made haircloth my garment; and I became a by-word to them. 15. They that sat in the gate spoke against me; and they that drank wine made me their song. 16. But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O * tempus beneplaciti, Lord for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. Deus. 17. In multitudine misericordiæ tuæ exaudi me, * in veritate salutis tuæ. 18. Eripe me de luto, ut non infigar: libera me ab iis qui oderunt me, et de profundis aquarum. 19. Non me demergat tempestas aquæ, neque absorbeat me profundum: * neque urgeat super me puteus os suum. 20. Exaudi me, Domine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua; * secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, respice in me. 21. Et ne avertas faciem tuam a puero tuo:* quoniam tribulor, velociter exaudi me. 22. Intende animæ meæ et libera eam :* propter inimicos meos eripe me. 23.Tuscis improperium meum, et confusionem meam,* et reverentiam meam. 24. In conspectu tuo sunt omnes qui tribulant me, * improperium expectavit cor meum, et miseriam. 17. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 18. Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 19. Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 20. Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind: look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 21. And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily. 22. Attend to my soul, and deliver it; save me because of my enemies. 23. Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame. 24. In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. est my foolishness, and my offences are not hid from thee. 8. Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of Hosts. 9. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel. 10. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach: shame hath covered my face. 11. I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother. 12. For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me. 13. And I covered my soul in fasting and it was made a reproach to me. 14. And I made hair 14. Et posui vestimentum meum cilicium:* et_cloth my garment; and I factus sum illis in parabolam. 15. Adversum meloquebantur qui sedebant in porta:* et in me psallebant qui bibebant vinum. 16. Ego vero orationem meam ad te, Domine: became a by-word to them. 15. They that sat in the gate spoke against me; and they that drank wine made me their song. 16. But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O |