Latin:
- O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
apisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.
English:
- O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.
[Verse 7] O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O come, desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease
And be Thyself our King of peace
Antiphon Chant: Rex Gentium
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
See Haggai 2:8: Et movebo omnes gentes,et veniet desideratus cunctis gentibus. Compare the Greek πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. Isaiah had prophesied:
- “For a child has been born for us, a son given us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
- “He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4
- “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.Isaiah 64:8
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