The Liturgy of the Hours in Elizabethan English.

Now, I don't use the LOTH any more due to the absolutely horrid translations. The Latin Liturgia Horaum is over 90$ a volume, so that's out. But what would the LOTH look like with a good translation? Here's matins and Lauds of the office of the annunciation. Some of it is my own translation, based off of the English LOTH, Some of it is my translation of the latin from the Liturgia horarum, and some of it was in the old breviary (Of which I have a translation) and survived to be in the revised office. The psalms and readings are the Douay and Coverdale's translation.

MATINS

Opening Versicles:

V. Lord,open thou my lips
R. And my mouth shalt proclaim thy praise.

Invitatory and hymn:

Antiphon:The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us worship, Alleluia.

The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Psalm 94:

Venite, Exultemus

O come, let us sing unto the Lord ; let us heartily rejoice in the God of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving ; and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

For the Lord is a great God ; and a great King above all gods: For the Lord will not cast off his people: In his hand are all the corners of the earth, and the strength of the hills is his also.


Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

The sea is his and he made it ; and his hands prepared the dry land. O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker: For he is the Lord our God ; and we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness ; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works.

Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways: unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Hymn:

The God, whom earth, and sea, and sky
Adore, and laud, and magnify,
Whose might they own, whose praise they swell,
In Mary's womb vouchsafed to dwell.

The Lord whom sun and moon obey,
Whom all things serve from day to day,
Was by the Holy Ghost conceived,
Of her who through his grace believed.

How blest that Mother, in whose shrine
The great Artificer divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Once deigned, as in his ark, to lie:-

Blest in the message Gabriel brought,
Blest by the work the Spirit wrought;
From whom the Great Desire of earth
Took human flesh and human birth.

All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.

Psalmody:

Ant. I:
In the fullness of time did God send forth his Son,Born of a woman, *that we might become his adopted sons, alleluia.

Psalm 2

Why do the heathen so furiously rage together? * and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth have arisen, and the rulers have taken counsel together * against the Lord, and against his Anointed.
3 Let us break their bonds asunder, * and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: * the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, * and vex them in his sore displeasure :
6 Yet I have been stablished King by him upon his holy hill of Sion, * preaching his commandment.
7 The Lord hath said unto me : * Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
8 Desire of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, * and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, * and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; * be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord in fear, * and rejoice unto him with reverence.
12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, * and so ye perish from the right way.
13 If his wrath be kindled, yea, but in a short time : * blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Ant. I:In the fullness of time did God send forth his Son, Born of a woman, *that we might become his adopted sons, alleluia.

Ant. II:
When he came into the world, he said: Thou hast prepared a body for me;* Behold, I come to do thy will, O God.

Psalm 18

The heavens declare the glory of God; * and the firmament sheweth his handy-work.
2 Day to day uttereth speech; * and night to night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is neither speech nor language; * where their voices are not heard.
4 Their sound is gone out into all lands; * and their words into the ends of the world.
5 In the sun hath he set his tabernacle; * and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
6 Hath rejoiced as a giant to run his course, * his going forth is from the uttermost part of the heaven.
7 And his circuit even unto the end thereof; * and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.
8 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; * the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.
9 The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.
10 The fear of the Lord is holy, and endureth for ever; * the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
11 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much precious stone; * sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
12 For thy servant keepeth them; * and in keeping of them there is great reward.
13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret faults : * save thy servant also from the sins of others.
14 If they get not the dominion over me, so shall I be undefiled, * and innocent from the great offence.
15 And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please, * and the meditation of my heart be alway in thy sight.
16 O Lord, my strength * and my redeemer.
Ant. II:
When he came into the world, he said: Thou hast prepared a body for me; Behold, I come to do thy will, O God.

Ant III:
In this have we known God's love for us: That he sent his only Son,* that we might live through him, alleluia.

Psalm 44

My heart is inditing of a good matter; * I speak my works unto the King.
2 My tongue is the pen of a writer : * that writeth swiftly.
3 Thou art fairer than the children of men, full of grace are thy lips, * therefore hath God hath blessed thee for ever.
4 Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, * O thou Most Mighty.
5 In thy comeliness, yea in thy beauty : * go forth, ride prosperously, and reign.
6 Because of truth, of meekness, and righteousness; * and thy right hand shall wondrously lead thee.
7 Thy arrows are very sharp, and the people shall be subdued unto thee; * even in the hearts of the King's enemies.
8 Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever; * the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; * wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10 All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, * whereby the daughters of kings have made thee glad in thy glory.
11 Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in a vesture of gold, * wrought about with divers colours.
12 Hearken, O daughter, consider, and incline thine ear; * forget also thine own people, and thy father's house.
13 So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty; * for he is the Lord thy God, and they shall worship him.
14 And the daughters of Tyre shall be there with a gift; * yea, all the rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance.
15 The King's daughter is all glorious within; * in wrought gold clothed round about with divers colours.
16 Virgins shall be brought after her unto the King : * her neighbours shall be brought unto thee.
17 With joy and gladness shall they be brought, * they shall be brought into the King's temple.
18 Instead of thy fathers, thou shalt have children, * whom thou shalt make princes over all the earth..
19 They shall remember thy Name * throughout all generations.
20 Therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee for ever, * yea, and for ever, and world without end.

Ant III:
In this have we known God's love for us: That he sent his only Son,* that we might live through him, alleluia.

V. The Word was made flesh, alleluia.
R. And dwelt among us, alleluia.

Reading I

From the first book of Chronicles. 17:1-15

Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins. And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee. Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in. For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,

Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel, whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar? Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel. And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth. And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning, Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.

And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee. But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

Responsory

R.The Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph, to bring unto her the Word ; and when the Virgin saw the light she was troubled till the Angel said : Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace from the Lord : V.Behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and he shall be called the Son of the Highest, alleluia.
Hail Mary,Full of grace, the lord is with thee.
V.Behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and he shall be called the Son of the Highest, alleluia.

Reading II

From a letter by Saint Leo the Great, Pope.

God is he whose nature is goodness, whose will is power, and whose work is mercy. Wherefore, at the very beginning of the world, as soon as the devil's hatred had mortally poisoned mankind with the venom of his envy, this almighty and merciful God even then foretold those remedies which his mercy had foreordained for our healing. At that time he bade the serpent know that there was to be a Seed of the woman who yet should crush the prideful swelling of his pestilential head. This Seed was none other than the Christ to come in the flesh, even God and Man in one Person, who should be born of the Virgin, and by his virgin-birth should condemn the seducer of man.
The devil rejoiced that he had, by his artful cunning, so deceived man as to make him lose the gifts of God, and forfeit the privilege of eternal life. Yea, when the devil had thus brought man under the hard sentence of death, he found a certain solace for his own misery in the fact that he now had a comrade in his guilt. He thought also that God, in his just anger, would change his original design towards man, whom he had made in such honour. But, dearly beloved, that unchangeable God, whose will cannot be baulked of its loving-kindness, in the dispensation of his own secret counsel, had already provided a mysterious way for carrying out his original purpose of goodness. So it was that mankind, which had been led into sin by the wicked craft of the devil, was not suffered to perish, and frustrate that gracious purpose of God.
When, therefore, dearly beloved, the fulness of that time was come, which God had appointed for our redemption, our Lord Jesus Christ entered this lower world. Christ came down from his heavenly throne. And, while he left not that glory which he hath with the Father before the world was, he was incarnate by a new order and a new birth, in that he who is invisible among his own, was made visible among us. He who is before the ages, began to be in time. He who is the Lord of all placed the glory of his majesty under a shadow, for he took upon him the form of a servant. Thus God the Impassible vouchsafed to become a man subject to suffering, and the Immortal laid himself under the laws of death.

Responsory:

V.Receive the Word, O Virgin Mary, which is sent thee by the Angel from the Lord ; thou shalt conceive, and bring forth him who is God and Man,
R. And thou shalt be called blessed among all women, alleluia.
V.Thou a Maiden undefiled shalt bear for us the Holy Child ; this grace is given alone to thee, a Virgin and Mother both to be.
R. And thou shalt be called blessed among all women, alleluia.

Te Deum.

We praise thee, O God, * we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, * the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud, * the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim * continually do cry:
Holy,
Holy,
Holy, * Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full * of the Majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles * praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets * praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs * praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world * doth acknowledge thee;
The Father, * of an infinite Majesty.
Thine honourable, true, * and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost, * the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory, * O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting * Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, * thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, * thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, * in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come * to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, * whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints, * in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people, * and bless thine heritage.
Govern them, * and lift them up for ever.
Day by day * we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name * ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us * this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, * have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, * as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted, * let me never be confounded.

(The concluding part of this hymn may be omitted.)

LAUDS.

Hymn:

O glorious Maid, exalted far
In light more bright than any star,
From him who made thee thou hast won
Grace to be Mother of his Son.

That which was lost in hapless Eve
Thy holy Scion did retrieve;
The tear-worn sons of Adam's race,
Through thee have glimpsed the heavenly place.

Thou wast the gate of heaven's Lord,
The door through which the Light had poured;
Thou, Maiden-Mother, Life dost bring
Ye ransomed nations, shout and sing!

All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.

Psalmody

Ant.I:
The Angel Gabriel * was sent to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph. Alleluia.

Psalm 62.

O God, thou art my God; * to thee do I watch at break of day.
2 My soul hath thirsted for thee, * my flesh also in many different ways.
3 In a barren and dry land where no water is: * so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, that I might behold thy power and thy glory.
4 For thy mercy is better than the life itself : * my lips shall praise thee.
5 Thus will I bless thee as long as I live : * and I will lift up my hands in thy Name.
6 My soul shall be filled as with marrow and fatness, * and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.
7 If I have remembered thee in my bed, I will think upon thee in the morning : * because thou hast been my helper.
8 And under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice, my soul hath hung upon thee; * thy right hand hath upholden me. Glory Be.
Ant.I:
The Angel Gabriel * was sent to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph. Alleluia.

Ant.II:
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, alleluia.

Benedicite

O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
2 O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : * O ye Heavens, bless ye the Lord.
3 O ye Waters that be above the Firmament, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye Powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
4 O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Stars of Heaven, bless ye the Lord.
5 O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord: * O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord.
6 O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Winter and Summer, bless ye the Lord.
7 O ye Dews and Frosts, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Frost and Cold, bless ye the Lord.
8 O ye Ice and Snow, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Nights and Days, bless ye the Lord.
9 O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Lightnings and Clouds, bless ye the Lord.
10 O let the Earth bless the Lord; * yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever.
11 O ye Mountains and Hills, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye Green Things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord.
12 O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Seas and Floods, bless ye the Lord.
13 O ye Whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye Fowls of the Air, bless ye the Lord.
14 O all ye Beasts and Cattle, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Children of Men, bless ye the Lord.
15 O let Israël bless the Lord; * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
16 O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
17 O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless ye the Lord: * O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord.
18 O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever:
(All bow during the following verse)
19 Let us bless the Father and the Son, with the Holy Ghost; * let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
20 Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven; * and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Ant.II:
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb, alleluia.

Ant III:
Trusting in the promise of the lord,Mary the Virgin conceived a child, and yet remaining a virgin, gave birth to the saviour, alleluia.

Psalm 148.

O sing unto the Lord a new song; * let his praise be in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israël rejoice in him that made him, * and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his Name in the choir : * let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4 For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, * and shall exalt the meek unto salvation.
5 The saints shall rejoice in glory; * they shall be joyful in their beds.
6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth; * and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7 To bring vengeance upon the nations, * chastisements amongst the peoples.
8 To bind their kings in chains, * and their nobles with links of iron.
9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written, * such glory is unto all his saints.
Ant III:
Trusting in the promise of the lord,Mary the Virgin conceived a child, and yet remaining a virgin, gave birth to the saviour, alleluia.

Chapter.

Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man

Responsory:

V.Hail Mary,full of grace, the Lord is with thee, alleluia,alleluia.
R.Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with thee, alleluia,alleluia.
V.Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
R.The Lord is with thee.
V.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Spirit.
R.Hail Mary,full of grace, the lord is with thee, alleluia,alleluia.

Benedictus:

Ant. In his surpassing love for us, God sent his son in the likeness of our sinful nature, alleluia.

Blessed † be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath visited and redeemed his people ;
2 And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the house of his servant David ;
3 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, * which have been since the world began ;
4 That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us.
5 To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to remember his holy Covenant ;
6 To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, * that he would give us ;
7 That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies * might serve him without fear ;
8 In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of our life.
9 And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ;
10 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the remission of their sins,
11 Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the Day-Spring from on high hath visited us ;
12 To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
13 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
14 As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. In his surpassing love for us, God sent his son in the likeness of our sinful nature, alleluia.

Preces:

Devoutly celebrating the beginning of our salvation, when the coming of the lord was announced by and angel, Let us joyfully pray:

May the holy Mother of God intercede for us.

V.As Mary the Virgin did accept the word of God with Joy;
R. Grant to us,O God, that we may accept our saviour with joy.
V. As thou didst look favourably on thy handmaiden;
R. Look upon us and all, O Father of mercy.
V. As the new Eve was obedient unto thy divine word;
R. Grant that thy will be done unto us.
V.May holy Mary succour the helpless, encourages the faint-hearted, and console those who sorrow.
R. May she pray for thy people, and for thy clergy, and intercede for all women consecrated to you.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

Collect

O God, who willed that thy word should become flesh in the womb of the virgin Mary, grant we beseech thee; that we may be conformed to his divine nature, whom we confess to be our salvation, both God and Man. Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son, our lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

-Amen.

Closing versicles

In private recitation:

V.May the Lord bless us, Keep us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting.
R. Amen.