Kenyon College Leaf 10
This mid-thirteenth century German psalter has acquired the nickname "The Laughing Carp Psalter" due to its penwork illustrations. The decorative style involves using fish (one of the leading medieval symbols for Christ) to complete lines of text that do not reach to the right margin of the page; this maintains the aesthetic of a full page within the borders of the leaf. The leaf itself measures 19.5 x 14cm, with slightly yellowed and stained vellum, and is lined in ink. The ink used for the bulk of the text is very dark, but fades into brown in places. Blue, red, coral, orange, and white are used in the decoration, and scribal corrections are included above each line where necessary. See Denison University Leaf 10 for more information about this manuscript.
Text: Psalms 145:10-146:8 (recto) and 146:8-147:6 (verso).
Kenyon Leaf 10 Recto
Kenyon College Leaf 10 Recto
Kenyon Leaf 10 Recto Transcription
Regnábit Dóminus in saecula; Deus tuus, Sion, in generatiónem et generatiónem.
Laudáte Dóminum, quóniam bonus est psalmus; Deo nostro sit jucúnda, decoráque laudátio.
Ædíficans Jerúsalem Dóminus, dispersiónes Israëlis congregábit:
Qui sanat contrítos corde, et álligat contritiónes eórum;
Qui númerat multitúdinem stellárum, et ómnibus eis nómina vocat.
Magnus Dóminus noster, et magna virtus ejus, et sapiéntiæ ejus non est númerus.
Suscípiens mansuétos Dóminus; humílians autem peccatóres usque ad terram.
Præcínite Dómino in confessióne; psállite Deo nostro in cythara.
Qui óperit cælum núbibus, et parat terræ plúviam;
Kenyon Leaf 10 Recto Translation
[Psalms 145:10-146:8]
10 The Lord shall reign for ever: thy God, O Sion, unto generation and generation.
Praise ye the Lord, because psalm is good: to our God be joyful and comely praise. 2 The Lord buildeth up Jerusalem: he will gather together the dispersed of Israel. 3 Who healeth the broken of heart, and bindeth up their bruises. 4 Who telleth the number of the stars: and calleth them all by their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and great is his power: and of his wisdom there is no number. 6 The Lord lifteth up the meek, and bringeth the wicked down even to the ground. 7 Sing ye to the Lord with praise: sing to our God upon the harp. 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds;
Kenyon Leaf 10 Verso
Kenyon College Leaf 10 Verso
Kenyon Leaf 10 Verso Transcription
Qui prodúcit in móntibus fœnum, et herbam servitúti hóminum;
Qui dat juméntis escam ipsórum, et pullis corvórum invocántibus eum.
Non in fortitúdine equi voluntátem habébit, nec in tíbiis viri beneplácitum erit ei.
Beneplácitum est Dómino super timéntes eum, et in eis qui sperant super misericórdia ejus.
Lauda, Jerúsalem, Dóminum; lauda Deum tuum, Syon.
Quóniam confortávit seras portárum tuárum; benedíxit fíliis tuis in te.
Qui pósuit fines tuos pacem, et ádipe fruménti sátiat te.
Qui emíttit elóquium suum terræ: velóciter currit sermo ejus.
Qui dat nivem sicut lanam; nébulam sicut cínerem spargit.
Mittit crystállum suam sicut buccéllas
Kenyon Leaf 10 Verso Translation
[Psalms 146:8-147:6]
...and prepareth rain for the earth. Who maketh grass to grow on the mountains, and herbs for the service of men. 9 Who giveth to beasts their food: and to the young ravens that call upon him. 10 He shall not delight in the strength of the horse: nor take pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him: and in them that hope in his mercy.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion. 2 Because he hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates, he hath blessed thy children within thee. 3 Who hath placed peace in thy borders: and filleth thee with the fat of corn. 4 Who sendeth forth his speech to the earth: his word runneth swiftly. 5 Who giveth snow like wool: scattereth mists like ashes. 6 He sendeth his crystal like morsels...