A poem for those who are safe from vengeance of the king, but who cannot evade Christ
1.
Iucundantur et laetantur simul omnes reprobi,
Qui regis adventum prius exspectabant territi,
Fremunt, caedunt, intumescunt et insultant miseris.
All base men rejoice and are happy at once,
They who with terror were awaiting the coming of the king,
They bellow, they murder, they swell with pride and they mock those waiting in distress.
2.
Quique sunt lugendi totis lacrimarum fontibus,
In superbiae sublimes extolluntur cornibus,
Phrenesim robur putantes sanis rident flentibus.
And also those who ought to be lamented with all fountains of tears,
Those men are raised up high on the horns of pride,
Those men thinking madness strength mock the sane weepers.
3.
Sed quid iuvat, o perversi, o Gehennae filii,
Non vitare sed mutare tribunal iudicii?
Sub mortali rege tuti Christum non evaditis.
But why does it please you, O evil ones, O sons of hell,
Not to avoid but to change the tribunal of justice?
You who are protected under the mortal king, you are not evading Christ.
4.
Ecce veniet ut fulgur, minax ac terribilis.
Solis ardor, lunae candor involventur tenebris;
Ima terrae petent stellae caeli vulsae cardine.
Behold he will come as lightning, threatening and terrible.
The blaze of the sun, the brightness of the moon will be wrapped in shadows;
The stars plucked from heaven’s poles will make for deep within the earth.
5.
Terra funditus ardebit, caeli trement climata,
Elementa turbantur, rugient tonitrua,
Ignei micant corusci, crebra cadunt fulmina.
The earth will blaze from its foundation, all the climes of heaven will tremble,
The elements are disturbed, the thunders will bellow,
The trembling fire flashes, the lightning falls often.
6.
In furore venientis fit tempestas valida.
Tota mundi tremefacta conquassatur machina,
Aestuantis flammae globus vastum perflat aera.
In the fury of he who is coming, a storm becomes strong.
The whole machine of the world having trembled shakes apart,
A globe of seething flame blows through the vast air.
7.
Tunc qui eum pupugerunt, cernunt omnes impii
Throno igneo subnixum specie terribili.
Rogant montes, orant colles, postulantes obrui.
Then they who pierced him, all the impious men see
The one seated on a fiery throne with a terrible expression.
The mountains asking, the hills begging, demanding to be buried.
8.
Mox occulta singulorum cunctis patent cordium;
Verba, facta, mens videntur velut corpus solidum
Et amarum (in auctores) reddunt testimonium.
Soon the hidden things of the heart of each one of them all are exposed,
Words, deeds, the mind all seem as if they are a solid body
And they deliver bitter testimony to the father.
9.
Ipsi spiritus iniqui probra, quae suggesserant,
Longis exarata tomis relegentes explicant;
Loca, tempora gestorum et modos enumerant.
The same shameful spirits, which had suggested the iniquities,
Expose the banished writings in large books;
They enumerate the place, the time of the deeds, and their manner.
10.
Irascuntur cuncta pravis angelorum agmina;
Adversantur elementa, caelum, terra, maria;
Omnis rerum creatura imminet contraria.
All the multitude of angels is angered by the crooked ones;
The elements rise up, the heavens, the earth, the seas;
All created things rise up against them.
11.
Ecce caput iniquorum, ferox illa bestia
Sub cunctorum denudata trahitur praesentia.
Patent artes, furta, doli, fraudes et ingenia.
Behold the chief of the unjust, that fierce beast
Is dragged away stripped bare in the presence of all.
His arts stand open, thefts, deceits, frauds, and tricks.
12.
O quam dura, quam horrenda voce iudex intonat,
Cum paratis mergi flammis maledictos imperat.
Mox degluttiens viventes Stygis olla devorat.
O what harshness, with what bristling voice the judge intones,
When he commands the evil ones to be immersed in the prepared flames.
Soon the pot of the Styx swallowing devours the living.
13.
Vaporantur infelices intus et extrinsecus;
Crepitantes strident flammae velut ardens clibanus,
Ore, naribus et ipsis proflu(u)nt luminibus.
The wretched men are being burned both inside and out;
They hiss like crackling flames burning in an oven.
They blow forth from their very mouths, nostrils, and eyes.
14.
Immortalis mors occidit nec omnino perimit;
Ignis urit, non consumit nec defectum recipit;
Vita moritur, mors vivit, finis semper incipit.
Immortal death kills, it does not destroy entirely;
The fire burns, it does not consume nor does it take back the sin;
Life dies, death lives the end is always in the beginning.
15.
Rediviva septem plagae renovant supplicia:
Fumus, foetor, algor, ardor, fames, sitis ignea,
Vermes numquam satiantur qui corrodunt viscera.
The seven plagues return, they renew their punishments:
Smoke, stench, cold, heat, hunger, fiery thirst,
Worms which destroy the internal organs are never satisfied.
16.
Illic dolor, cruciatus, fletus, stidor dentium,
Adsunt fremitus leonum, sibilìi serpentium,
Quibus mixti confunduntur ululatus flentium.
There there is pain, torment, tears, gnashing of teeth,
There is the roaring of lions, the hissing of serpents,
With which are mixed the wailing of those who are weeping.
17.
Molis trabeae dracones laxa pandunt guttura,
(Quorum oculi sagittas iaculantur igneas),
Caudae chelas scorponium, plantae produnt viperas.
Huge scarlet striped serpents whose eyes
Throw fiery arrows open their enormous throats,
Their tails are the claws of a scorpion, the soles of their feet give rise to snakes.
18.
Tendunt quidem ad nos esse sed non esse desinunt,
Vivunt morti, volunt mori sed omnino nequeunt.
Qui male vixere, vitam pro tormento perferunt.
Indeed they reach out to us that they cease to be, but they do not,
They live for death, they wish to die, but they are entirely unable.
Those who have lived badly, they suffer a life of torment.
19.
Haec prae oculis, vesani, formidantes ponite;
Haec subtili pertractantes studio revolvite
Et pravorum vinclis morum colla mentis solvite.
Place these things before your eyes, you trembling insane men;
Mull over these things with focused attention
Release the neck of the mind from the chains of depraved habits.
20.
Nam paratus est conversis indulgere veniam,
Qui perversis adhuc premit vindictae sententiam.
Salus, honor pio regi per aeterna saecula.
Amen.
For he who imposes the this sentence on sinners
Is prepared to give pardon to the converted.
Let there be safety and honor to the pious king through eternity.
Amen.
