Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34

This leaf comes from an Italian psalter of the fifteenth century, and measures 38.5 x 28.5 cm. Ege states that it was made by Carthusian monks, making it a rare artifact of that minuscule order. The vellum is yellowed, with substantial wrinkling around the edges; the lining on the right side of the text area is especially noticeable. Black ink (showing indications of wear) is used for the primary text, and red, blue, and purple appear in the decoration. The leaf is not illuminated, but decorative details include large and small red and blue initials. The large initials have a purple interior and exterior line decoration as an accompaniment. The music at the foot of the pages was apparently added later. See Denison University Leaf 34 for more information about this manuscript.

Text: Psalms 137:1-138:4 (recto); Psalms 138:5-15 (verso).

Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34 Recto

Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34 Recto Transcription

In conspéctu angelórum psallam tibi; adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo:
Super misericórdia tua et veritáte tua; quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me; multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ, quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
Et cantent in viis Dómini, quóniam magna est glória Dómini;
Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit, et alta a longe cognóscit.
Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me; et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me. Dómine, misericórdia tua in saeculum; ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias. Ant. [ ] Psalmus.

Dómine, probásti me, et cognovísti me; tu cognovísti sessiónem meam et resurrectiónem meam.
Intellexísti cogitatiónes meas de longe; sémitam meam et funículum meum investigásti:
Et omnes vias meas prævidísti, quia non est sermo in lin-

Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34 Recto Translation

[Psalms 137:1-138:4]

I will sing praise to thee in the sight of his angels: 2 I will worship towards thy holy temple, and I will give glory to thy name. For thy mercy, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all. 3 In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me: thou shall multiply strength in my soul. 4 May all the kings of the earth give glory to thee: for they have heard all the words of thy mouth. 5 And let them sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord. 6 For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low: and the high he knoweth afar off. 7 If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, thou wilt quicken me: and thou hast stretched forth thy hand against the wrath of my enemies: and thy right hand hath saved me. 8 The Lord will repay for me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: O despise not the work of thy hands. Ant. [ ]. Psalm.

Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me: 2 thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up. 3 Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out. 4 And thou hast foreseen all my ways: for there is no speech in my tongue.

Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34 Verso

Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34 Verso Transcription

-gua mea.
Ecce, Dómine, tu cognovísti ómnia, novíssima et antíqua. Tu formásti me, et posuísti super me manum tuam.
Mirábilis facta est sciéntia tua ex me; confortáta est, et non pótero ad eam.
Quo ibo a spíritu tuo? et quo a fácie tua fúgiam?
Si ascéndero in cælum, tu illic es; si descéndero in inférnum, ades.
Si súmpsero pennas meas dilúculo, et habitávero in extrémis maris,
Etenim illuc manus tua dedúcet me, et tenébit me déxtera tua. Divisio.

Et dixi: Fórsitan ténebræ conculcábunt me; et nox illuminátio mea in delíciis meis.
Quia ténebræ non obscurabúntur a te, et nox sicut dies illuminábitur: sicut ténebræ ejus, ita et lumen ejus.
Quia tu possedísti renes meos; suscepísti me de útero matris meæ.
Confitébor tibi, quia terribíliter magnificátus es; mirabília ópera tua, et ánima mea cognóscit nimis.
Non est occultátum os meum a te, quod fecísti in occúlto; et substántia mea in inferióribus terræ.

Cleveland Institute of Art Leaf 34 Verso Translation

[Psalms 138:5-15]

5 Behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things, the last and those of old: thou hast formed me, and hast laid thy hand upon me. 6 Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me: it is high, and I cannot reach to it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face? 8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present. 9 If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: 10 Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures. 12 But darkness shall not be dark to thee, and night shall be light as day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well. 15 My bone is not hidden from thee, which thou hast made in secret: and my substance in the lower parts of the earth.