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Francis of Assisi, “The Canticle of the Creatures” (1225). From Francis of Assisi: Early
Documents. Volume I: The Saint. Edited by Regis J. Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap., J. A. Wayne
Hellman, O.F.M. Conv., and William J. Short, O.F.M. New York: New City Press, 1999, pp.
113-114.
Chronologically, there are three stages to consider in the development of this poetic praise of
God, each of which reveals a side of Francis’s vision of God, creation, and the human soul.
Francis’s companions tell us of the composition of the first part of this piece, verses 1-9, in
which the saint sings the praises of creation in glorifying God. While suffering intensely from
his physical infirmities, he announced: “I wish to compose a new hymn about the Lord’s
creatures, of which we make daily use, without which we cannot live, and with which the human race greatly offends its Creator.”a A short while later, after hearing of a quarrel that had
broken out between the civil and religious authorities of Assisi, Francis asked the brothers to go
before them singing these verses, but added two more, verses 10-11.b He composed the final
verses 12-13 on his death bed.c Verse 14 may well be a refrain used after each verse of the entire
Canticle.
1Most
High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the
honor, and all blessing,
2To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention
Your name.d
3Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your
creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You
give us light.e
4And he is beautiful and radiant with great
splendor;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High
One.
5Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister
Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and
precious and beautiful.f
6Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother
Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to
Your creatures.
Altissimu, omnipotente, bon Signore,
tue so’ le laude, la gloria e l’honore et onne
benedictione.
Ad te solo, Altissimo, se konfano, et nullu
homo ène dignu te mentovare.
Laudato sie, mi’ Signore, cum tucte le tue
creature,
spetialmente messor lo frate sole,
lo qual’è iorno, et allumini noi per lui
Et ellu è bellui
e radiante cum grande splendore :
de te, Altissimo, porta significatione.
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora luna e le
stelle
in celu l’ài formate clarite et pretiose et belle
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per frate vento
et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo,
per lo quale a le tue creature dài
sustentamento.
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7Praised
be You, my Lord, through Sister
Water,
who is very useful and humble and
precious and chaste.
8Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother
Fire,
through whom You light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and
robust and strong.
9Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister
Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with
colored flowers and herbs.
10Praised
be You, my Lord, through those
who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.g
11Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be
crowned.
12Praised
be You, my Lord, through our Sister
Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.h
13Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find
in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no
harm.i
14Praise
and bless my Lord and give Him
thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sor’aqua,
la quale è multo utile et humile et pretiosa et
casta.
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per frate focu,
per lo quale ennallumini la nocte:
ed ello è bello et iocundo et robustoso et
forte.
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora nostra
matre terra,
la quale ne sustenta et governa,
et produce diversi fructi con coloriti flori et
herba.
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per quelli ke
perdonano per lo tuo amore
et sostengo infirmitate et tribulatione.
Beati quelli ke ‘l sosterrano in pace,
ka da te, Altissimo, sirano incoronati.
Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora nostra
morte corporale,
da la quale nullu homo vivente pò
skappare :
guai a quelli ke morrano ne le peccata
mortali ;
beati quelli ke trovarà ne le tue sanctissime
voluntati,
ka la morte secunda no ‘l farrà male.
Laudate e benedicete mi’ Signore et
rengratiate. . .
NOTES:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Cf. The Assisi Compilation, 83 (hereafter AC). Cf. AC 84.
Cf. AC 7.
Cf. AC 7.
It would seem that in these first nine verses Francis envisioned this as a song of God’s
creatures in which human beings, because of sin, had no part, a theme about which he hints
in other writings, e.g. Adm II, ER XIII. While the first verse directs praise, glory, honor and
blessing to God alone, a sentiment underscored in the first part of this second verse, its
second part is quite clear in denying any role to a human being.
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e. In Francis’s use of the passive voice, “Praised be you. . .”,and his linking the praise of the
Lord with that of creatures, this verse provides many insights into the interpretation of the
entire Canticle. While the sun, moon and stars, wind, water, fire, and earth may be seen as
instruments of praise or as reasons for praise, praising them also implies praising the God
Who created them and acknowledging that they are symbols of their Creator. Thus Francis’s
poetic use of adjectives is important to comprehend his images of God.
f. Per suggests a variety of meanings: (a) a corruption of the Latin per, (b) the French pour, or
(c) the developing Italian par. Thus it may be translated “for” offering an attitude of
thanksgiving; by,’ expressing a sense of instrumentality; or “through,” suggesting
instrumentality and, at the same time, a deeper sense of praising God’s presence in the
creatures mentioned. This translation follows the last possibility based on verse 3, “Praised
be you, my Lord, with all your creatures . . .”
g. The second section of the Canticle introduces humanity into the praise of God. However,
such praise is only achieved through identifying with the suffering Servant of God, Jesus,
who endured weakness and tribulation in peace. In this way, reconciliation is achieved in
light of the Paschal Mystery.
h. These two verses, 12 and 13, composed in Francis’s last hours, indicate an understanding of
death much different from that of 1Ltf 2:14ff, 2LtF 72ff, and Letters to the Rulers of the Peoples
2-4 [hereafter LtR]. Rather than fearing death, Francis greets it as yet another expression of
God’s presence.
i. Fulgentius of Ruspe comments on these verses in his treatise on forgiveness: “Here on earth
they are changed by the first resurrection, in which they are enlightened and converted,
thus passing from death to life, sinfulness to holiness, unbelief to faith, and evil actions to
holy life. For this reason the second death has no power over them ... As the first
resurrection consists of the conversion of the heart, so the second death consists of unending
torment (cf. Fulgentius of Ruspe, On Forgiveness, Liber 2, 11, 1-2,1. 3-4; Corpus Christianorum
91A, 693-695).
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