Little Office of S. Joseph
Ordinary
Hail, glory of the Patriarchs,
steward of God's holy Church,
who didst preserve the Bread of Life
and the Wheat of the Elect.
Salve Patriarcharum decus,
et Ecclesiae sanctae Dei Oeconome,
cui panem vitae et frumentum
Electorum conservasti.
At Matins only
O Lord, open my lips.
Domine labia mea aperies.
And my mouth will announce Thy praise.
Et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
At Compline only
Convert us, O God our Saviour.
Converte nos, Deus salutaris noster.
And turn away Thy wrath from us.
Et averte iram tuam a nobis.
At all the Hours
O God, come to my aid.
Deus in adiutorium meum intende.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Domine ad adiuvandum me festina.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Alleluia.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Alleluia.
During Lent until Easter, instead of the alleluia the following is said Praise to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.
Mighty Joseph, son of David!
High and glorious is thy state-
of our Lord the Foster-father,
Mary's spouse Immaculate.
The Almighty's faithful servant,
of the Holy Family,
head and father. Oh! I pray thee
be a father unto me.
Magne Ioseph, Fili David,
custos date Virginis,
quem et Virgo nuncupavit
patrem Christi Domini;
Qui fidelis Servus Dei
datus es familiae,
precor velis curam mei
tamquam Pater gerere.
Ant. (Psalm 104)
He made him master of his house, and ruler over all his possessions.
Constituit eum Dominum Domus suae, et Principem omnis possessionis suae.
Sorely was thy bosom troubled
till the mystery was revealed
which the Lord had wrought in Mary,
who in patience all concealed.
But an angel soon from heaven
bids thy loving doubts to cease.
So may every care and trial
turn for me to joy and peace.
Cum ferentem castam Matrem,
conspexisses uterum,
et nescires tamen Patrem,
cor gerebas anxium;
Sed de caelo mox instructus,
posuisti dubium.
Fac ut omnis meus luctus
Transeat in Gaudium.
Ant. (Mt 1:20)
Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary as thy spouse, for what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Ioseph fili David, noli timere accipere Mariam coniugem tuam, quod enim in ea natum est, de Spiritu Sancto est.
With the Virgin, young and tender
in the winter-time forlorn,
thou to Bethlehem didst journey
that our Lord might there be born.
As thy God thou didst adore Him,
while He in the manger lay,
now is He in heaven exalted-
turn to Him for us and pray!
Dum in Bethlehem profecturus,
pergeres cum Virgine,
Deus nobis par futurus,
natus est in tempore.
Quem in faeno collocatum,
coluisti graviter:
nunc in caelo elevatum:
ora pro me iugiter.
Ant. (Lk 2:4)
Joseph went up out of Galilee from Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, with Mary his espoused wife who was with child.
Ascendit Ioseph a Galilaea de Nazareth, in Iudaeam in civitatem David, quae vocatur Bethlehem, cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore praegnante.
Fleeing at the angel's warning,
far from Herod's fury wild,
long in Egypt didst thou tarry
with the Virgin and the Child.
By thy toil, and pain, and sadness,
In that exile dark and drear,
Help me in the cares and sorrows
Which may be my portion here.
Vim Herodis evasisti,
monitus ab Angelo,
in Aegyptum cum duxisti
Virginem cum parvulo.
Per moerorem, quem tulisti,
isto in exilio,
cum gravabor hora tristis
mihi sis auxilio.
Ant. (Mt 2:13)
Rise and take the Child and his Mother, and fly into Egypt, and be there until I tell thee; for it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him.
Surge, et accipe Puerum et Matrem eius, et fuge in Aegyptum, et esto ibi usque dum dicam tibi; futurum est enim, ut Herodes quaerat Puerum ad perdendum Eum.
Home from Egypt's land returning
thou wouldst rest in Galilee,
but to Nazareth art bidden,
that the Child secure may be.
Souls retiring, sweet, and humble,
thou dost still for Jesus seek:
that my heart may be his garden,
make it humble, pure and meek.
Ex Aegypto cum defessus,
Galilaeam peteres,
es in Nazareth digressus,
ut securus degeres.
In florentis hortum mentis,
amas Iesum ducere:
da, florescat et mitescat,
hortus animae.
Ant. (Mt 2:23)
And rising up out of Egypt, he took the Child and his Mother and came into the land of Israel, and he dwelt in a city which is called Nazareth.
Et consurgens ex Aegypto, accepit Puerum et Matrem eius, et venit in terram Israel, et habitavit in civitate, quae vocatur Nazareth.
Thou didst search with loving anguish
For the little Jesus lost,
But, in finding Him, what rapture
Purchased at that sorrow's cost!
Thee, my light, my life, my Jesus,
May I never lose by sin!
May my heart be pure and simple,
So that thou may'st rest therein.
Quam dolebas, cum quaerebas,
doudennem Iesulum!
Sed inventus et retentus,
auxit illi gaudium.
Iesum, Lumen oculorum,
fac me nunquam perdere:
semper puritate morum,
menti adsit integrae.
Ant. (Lk 2:48)
Son, why hast Thou done this to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing.
Fili, quid fecisti nobis sic? Ecce Pater tuus et ego dolentes quaerebamus Te.
Jesus, Mary, hung above thee,
on that sad, but happy day
when, with their fond arms around thee,
passed thy gentle soul away.
Oh! when death shall come to take me,
all its terrors I'll defy,
if, with Jesus and with Mary,
thou, dear Joseph, wilt be nigh.
Inter Iesu et Mariae
manus integerrimas,
spiritum emittis pie,
hinc ad sedes superas.
Eia Iesu et Maria,
te coniunge tertium,
quando me suprema die
mors citabit anxium.
Ant. (Psalms 4:9)
I will sleep in peace, and I will rest, for Thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope. (4:9)
In pace in idipsum dormiam et requiescam: quoniam Tu, Domine, singulariter in spe constituisti me.
Conclusion of the above Hours
Pray for us, most blessed Joseph.
Ora pro nobis beatissime Ioseph.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
Let us pray.
O Lord, we beseech Thee, may we be assisted by the merits of the Spouse of thy most holy Mother, that what of ourselves we cannot possibly obtain, may through his intercession be granted to us by Thee, who livest and reignest God for ever and ever.
Sanctissimae Genetricis tuae sponsi, quaesumus, Domine, meritis adiuvemur, ut quod possibilitas nostra non obtinet, eius nobis intercessione donetur. Qui vivis et regnas Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Amen.
Amen.
Lord, hear my prayer,
Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
And let my cry come unto Thee.
Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
Let us bless the Lord.
Benedicamus Domino.
Thanks be to God.
Deo gratias.
May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Fidelium animae per misericordiam Dei requiescant in pace.
Amen.
Amen.
Commendation
Thus, O glorious saint, my homage
I thy grateful client pay.
Hear my prayer and smile upon me,
Guide and guard me on my way.
May I 'neath thy kind protection
Safely reach my journey's close,
And with thee in heaven's bright palace
Through eternity repose.
Amen.
Cliens tibi dedicatus,
solvit hoc Officium,
eius votis tu vocatus,
redde beneficium;
Ut post huius vitae metam,
tuo patrocinio,
tecum vivam vitam laetam
caeli in palatio.