Maurizio Cazzati (c. 1620-1677)

Dulcis amor, belle latitas,
orbe in eucharistico,
sunt amantis, sunt coelestis
forsitan insidiae.

Fulgurantes terge malas
picturatis in rosetis,
nube flores ligustrorum,
digna amantis stemmata.

Fuge mortis, fuge fati,
fuge Dities et Averni
triste satellitium.

Noster amor castra posuit
orbe in eucharistico,
propugnacula fidelium,

Jam flabellis, jam labellis
dulcis aura, dulcis spiritus
rosas gemmas ventilet.

O stupores, sol ardescit nubibus.
Candicantis, albicantis lilieti
surgunt partus odorati.

Si fidelis saturatur,
isto pane dictitatur
esse Christi bonus odor.

Funde flores, funde plausus,
amor noster dulcis amor,
jam gelascit ignibus,
jam ardescit nivibus.

Ignes habet ut amator,
nives habet senex pastor,
nobis datus, nobis natus,
jam triumphat cordibus.

Dear beloved, you hide yourself carefully
in the circle of the Eucharist
in which are enticements,
perhaps of the beloved, perhaps of heaven.

Purify our brightened cheeks
into colorful roses,
flowers in a cloud of green,
garlands worthy of the beloved.

Flee the gloomy arms
of death, of calamity,
of the followers of Dis and Hell.

Our beloved has built a fortress
in the circle of the Eucharist.
bulwarks of the faithful;

Now with shallow breaths, now with lips,
may a sweet fragrance,
a sweet spirit blow over our pink buds.

O sleeping ones, the sun is inflamed by clouds.
The seeds rise up,
fragrant of white, pale lilies.

If the faithful one is sated,
by such bread he is said to be
the noble scent of Christ.

Scatter flowers, scatter praise,
our beloved, sweet beloved,
is now frozen by flames,
is now enflamed by snow.

He holds flames like a lover,
snow like an old shepherd,
given to us, born to us,
now he triumphs over hearts.

©Michael Barrett

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