Poem: “Jesus Our Ransom”

This poem can be found in the Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts: London, British Library, Additional 46919.

Jesus our ransom,
Love and longing,
Lord God almighty,
Maker of all things,
Flesh you took
And man became
In the fullness of time.

What mercifulness overcame you,
The one who bears our sins,
When you suffered bitter death,
To raise us up from sin?

Hell’s gate you pierced,
And bought your own out of bondage;
With great nobility
You ascended
To your Father’s right hand.

May that same mercy lead you
To overcome our wickedness
With your mercy
And fill us full
With the bliss of your face.

Be now our joy
You who will be our reward,
May we find all our delight in you,
The one who longs for us to be with you.

Translation into modern English by Grace Hamman. The original text in Middle English appears below.

Giovanni Bellini, Resurrection of Christ (Public domain)

Jesus Our Raunsoun

Jesus our raunsoun,
Love and longing,
Lord God almighty,
Wroughte of all thinge,
Flesh thou nome
And mon bicome
In times endinge

What milsfolnesse awalde thee
That our sunnes bere
So bitter deth to tholien
From sunne us for t’arere?

Helle-clos thou thorledest
And boughtest thine of bonde;
With grete nobleye
Thou opsteye
To thy Fader right honde.

Thilke milse nede thee
T’awelde oure wickeness
With thy mercy
And full us ay
With thy nebshaftes blisse.

Thou be now our joye
That shalt ben oure mede,
And oure wele ay be in thee
That shalt us with thee nede.