O Antiphons: 21 December | O Oriens (O Dayspring)

Latin:

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

English:

O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

[Verse 4] O Come, O Come Emmanuel 

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight

Spanish Version:

¡Oh ven, Tú, Aurora celestial!
Alúmbranos con tu verdad,
Disipa toda oscuridad,
Y danos días de solaz.

(Note: A literal translation of the Latin yields “O Rising Sun”, but the poetic “O Morning Star” or “O Dayspring” is often preferred.)

Antiphon Chant: O Oriens

 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: Oh Ven, Oh Ven, Emanuel (Spanish Version)

The phrase ‘O Oriens’ comes from Zach. 3:8: τὸν δοῦλόν μου Ἀνατολήν and servum meum Orientem. This should be compared with the Hebrew tzemach. Isaiah had prophesied:

• “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2