The earth, O Lord, is one wide field
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The earth, O Lord, is one wide field Of all thy chosen seed; The crop prepared its fruit to yield, The labourers few indeed. We therefore come before thee now With fasting and with prayer, Beseeching of thy love that thou Wouldst send more labourers there. Not for our land alone we pray, Though that above the rest; The realms and islands far away, O let them all be blest. Endue the bishops of thy flock With wisdom and with grace, Against false doctrine like a rock To set the heart and face. To all thy priests thy truth reveal, And make thy judgements clear; Make thou thy deacons full of zeal, And humble and sincere: And give their flocks a lowly mind To hear – and not in vain; That each and all may mercy find When thou shalt come again. |
Tuo devota semini terra omnis est, Deus, sed parva tantae segeti messorum est manus. Ergo venimus ante te ieiuni supplices, ut incrementa, Domine, messorum ibi des. Non nostrae solum petimus, etsi praecipue, sed insulis distantibus ut sit eis bene. Prudentes 0! tui gregis reddas episcopos, perversis ut sententiis opponant cor et os. Verique fac antistites jurisque conscios diaconos et humiles, acres et integros. Fac et submisssum his gregem, qui vere pareat, regressum ut te iudicem clementem sentiat. |