Canticle of the Sun

                                 Marion Parsons’ Songbook

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Through sun my brother, praised be you my Lord

He is our day and our hope through the night

In splendour, radiance, beauty, and majesty

Portrays to us the one in whom is all light.


Through moon my sister, praised be you my Lord

Until the morning may she her vigil keep

Through stars my sisters, bright, fair, and ancient

The children of the one in whom is all sleep.


    To the most high Lord, the all-powerful, the good one

    Belongs all the praise of the earth and above

    Hallelujah! No mortal lips can say

    The name of the one in whom is all love.


Through wind my brother, praised be you my Lord

In calm, in storm, through nature’s every face

Through air my sister, all things living

Are cherished by the one in whom is all grace.


Through water my sister, praised be you my Lord

Humble and useful in purity sweet

Through fire my brother, strong and playful

The good gift of the one in whom is all heat.


Through earth my sister, praised be you my Lord

Our home and provider and fruit and seed and wood

Sustains and governs us, shelters and mothers us

Beloved of the one in whom is all good.


    Through all my brothers who for the love of you

    Forgive and endure though their sufferings increase

    Through all my sisters whose mercy and humility

    Are blessed by the one in whom is all peace.


Through all your creatures, praised be you my Lord

Through all things living, and through my sister death

Though none escape her, blessed are they she finds doing

The will of the one in whom is all breath.


Chords: (4/4)


        Em               Am        B7

Through sun my brother, praised be you my Lord


   Em                  Am               B7

He is our day and our hope through the night


     Em                  Am         B7

In splendour, radiance, beauty, and majesty


    Em                     Am     B7   Em

Portrays to us the one in whom is all light.


        Em                      Am            B7

To the most high Lord, the all-powerful, the good one


   Em                          Am         B7

Belongs all the praise of the earth and above


    Em          Am     B7

Hallelujah! No mortal lips can say


     Em                 Am     B7   Em

The name of the one in whom is all love.



 
  1. Lyrics and music © 1998

  2. Based on a prayer by St. Francis from 1224

  3. See bottom of the page for chords and comments

I cowrote this song with St. Francis of Assisi; you can see his first draft of the lyrics here: Canticle of the Creatures.