The Harvard Hymn

The Harvard Hymn is a dignified, quietly majestic Latin hymn written in the nineteenth century for ceremonies at Harvard University. The full lyrics and score are available here in PDF (2 pages), while synthesized performances of the tune are available here, courtesy of the Harvard math department.

The lyrics were written by James Bradstreet Greenough (1833-1901), a classics professor at Harvard and the co-author (with Joseph A. Allen) of a scholarly Latin grammar that remains definitive. (I own a well-thumbed & much-loved copy.) The hymn was composed by John Knowles Paine (1839-1906), a Harvard music professor, organist, and choirmaster, and a talented composer as well.

The hymn is performed each spring during commencement and also each September at the end of the Opening of Term service in Harvard's Memorial Church (Episcopal). Unfortunately, a commercial recording of the hymn does not appear to be available, though thankfully other recordings by the Harvard University Choir are. I personally love the lyrics (especially "maiora dum conamur faveas laboribus," in the third verse) and the way the melody rises to a yearning crescendo.

Following is my attempt at a literal interlinear translation of the lyrics. Please email me if you spot mistakes.

I.
Deus omnium creator,
God, the creator of everything,
rerum mundi moderator,
controller of the things of this world,
crescat cuius es fundator,
may that of which you are the founder grow,
nostra universitas.
our university.
Integri sint curatores,
May the administrators be upstanding,
eruditi professores,
the professors learned,
largiantur donatores
may the donors supply
benepartas copias.
their well-gotten abundance.

II.
Patres nostri huc perlati,
Our fathers, having been carried through to this place,
tuo monitu, pergrati,
very grateful for your guidance,
dedicarunt veritati*
dedicated to truth*
parvum tum collegium,
a college then small,
idque tuo post favore
and after that, by your favor
auctum semper et amore
and by your love, always enlarged,
bonam spem ostentat fore
it shows their hope justified that it would be
templum quasi regium.
a temple almost regal.

*"Veritas" ("truth") is the motto of Harvard.

III.
Qua de spe fac te precamur,
Act regarding which hope, we pray you,
in eventu ne fallamur,
lest we be deceived in the end,
sed maiora dum conamur,
but while we attempt greater things,
faveas laboribus.
may you favor our efforts.
Simul gratias habemus
Likewise, we give thanks
quod tam diu iam floremus,
because we are prospering now so long,
nec audire remittemus
nor will we cease to listen to
veritatis monitus.
the warnings of truth.

IV.
Sic dum civitas manebit,
Thus, while the commonwealth will last,
clarum lumen hic lucebit,
a bright lamp will shine here,
luce angulos replebit,
it will fill up the corners with light,
fugerit obscuritas,
obscurity will flee,
error territus latebit,
deception, frightened, will hide,
virtus vivida valebit,
virtue, energetic, will flourish,
et insignior florebit
and outstandingly will blossom
nostra universitas.
our university.
Amen.