Ohio State University 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 117:12-117:22 (recto) and 117:23-118:2 (verso).
Reconstruction Note! In Ege's original psalter, this leaf followed what is now Leaf 10 in the University of Saskatchewan portfolio, and was followed by what is now Leaf 10 in the Rochester Institute of Technology portfolio. Placed back in sequence, the three leaves contain the text of Psalms 115:4 to 118:22.
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Recto
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Recto
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Recto Transcription
Dómini, quia ultus sum in eos.
Impúlsus evérsus sum, ut cáderem, et Dóminus suscépit me.
Fortitúdo mea et laus mea Dóminus, et factus est mihi in salútem.
Vox exsultatiónis et salútis in tabernáculis justórum.
Déxtera Dómini fecit virtútem; déxtera Dómini exaltávit me: déxtera Dómini fecit virtútem.
Non móriar, sed vivam, et narrábo ópera Dómini.
Castígans castigávit me Dóminus, et morti non trádidit me.
Aperíte mihi portas justítiæ: ingréssus in eas confitébor Dómino. Hæc porta Dómini: justi intrábunt in eam.
Confitébor tibi quóniam exaudísti me, et factus es mihi in salútem.
Lápidem quem reprobavérunt ædificántes, hic factus est in caput ánguli.
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Recto Translation
[Psalms 117:12-117:22]
...Lord I was revenged on them 13 Being pushed I was overturned that I might fall: but the Lord supported me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my praise: and he is become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and of salvation is in the tabernacles of the just. 16 The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me: the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength. 17 I shall not die, but live: and shall declare the works of the Lord. 18 The Lord chastising hath chastised me: but he hath not delivered me over to death. 19 Open ye to me the gates of justice: I will go into them, and give praise to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord, the just shall enter into it. 21 I will give glory to thee because thou hast heard me: and art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner.
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Verso
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Verso
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Verso Transcription
A Dómino factum est istud, et est mirábile in óculis nostris.
Hæc est dies quam fecit Dóminus; exsultémus, et lætémur in ea.
O Dómine, salvum me fac; o Dómine, bene prosperáre. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini:
Benedíximus vobis de domo Dómini. Deus Dóminus, et illúxit nobis.
Constitúite diem solémnem in condénsis, usque ad cornu altáris.
Deus meus es tu, et confitébor tibi; Deus meus es tu, et exaltábo te.
Confitébor tibi quóniam exaudísti me, et factus es mihi in salútem.
Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus, quóniam in saeculum misericórdia ejus.
Beáti immaculáti in via, qui ámbulant in lege Dómini.
Beáti qui scrutántur testimó-
Ohio State University Leaf 10 Verso Translation
[Psalms 117:23-118:2]
23 This is the Lord's doing: and it is wonderful in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein. 25 O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and he hath shone upon us. Appoint a solemn day, with shady boughs, even to the horn of the alter. 28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. I will praise thee, because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 29 O praise ye the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they who search his testimonies...