III. Ben vegna osanna – e la figliuola d'Anna!
The Joy of the Incarnation
The lauda begins by welcoming the Savior and reflecting on the humble circumstances of his birth and the adoration of the Magi and shepherds.
Welcome, Hosanna—and the daughter of Anna!1 He was born in the hay, between the little donkey and the ox—the Nazarene Lord, as it was foretold.✦ If you want to see Jesus, come and sing hosanna. The Magi arrive riding with their treasures, and the shepherds go along singing of the Lord of lords; everyone seems to fall in love with nothing but singing hosanna.
From Hosanna to Betrayal
The narrative shifts to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, followed by the dark turn of Judas's betrayal and the arrest of Jesus.
Sound love is renewed; the world is at peace and joyful. And the Savior comes down from the Mount of Olives, and the people cry out behind him in a loud voice: "Hosanna!" Then Jerusalem rejoices and comes alive, and scatters olive and palm. Who will still weep for him? Everyone adores Jesus, all crying out: “Hosanna!”✦2 That evening the Pharisees feel great distress over this; and Judas was outraged because of Mary Magdalene. He goes out from the supper only to betray Hosanna.✦✦ "Come," says the villain, "to seize holy Jesus." And he kisses him as the signal; Jesus is bound meanwhile: "Hail, Rabbi."✦3 How vainly you'll cry Hosanna!✦
The Sorrow of the Cross
The focus turns to the suffering of Jesus on the way to Calvary and the call for the faithful to weep with the Virgin Mary.
Mary has arrived to find her Son among a cruel and wicked people, beaten and scourged, and led up to Calvary; no one shouts “Hosanna!” to him anymore.✦✦4 Let every faithful person turn to God with a humble voice to weep for Jesus on the cross, who tastes gall for our sake! Oh, what a great and cruel thing, Virgin daughter of Anna!
Read the original Latin
Ben vegna osanna - e la figliuola d’Anna!
Egli è nato nel fieno Tra l’ asinello e ’l bue El Signor nazareno; Come predetto fue. Chi vuol veder Gesue Venga a cantare osanna.
E’ Magi cavalcando Vengon con lor tesori, E’ pastor van cantando Del signor de signori: Ognun par che ’nnamori Sol del cantare osanna.
Rinfresca il sano amore El mondo en pace e lieto E cala il Salvatore Giù dal monte Uliveto, E grida il popol drieto Ad alta voce: «Osanna!»
Rallegrasi e fassi alma Gerusalem allora E sparge ulivo e palma Chi ’l piangerà ancora: Gesù ciascun l’ adora, Tutti gridando: «Osanna!»
I Farisei la sera Senton di ciò gran pena: E Giuda indegnato era Per Maria Maddalena: Esce fuor della cena Sol per tradire osanna.
«Venite» dice il fello «A prender Gesù santo»: E bacia in segno quello; Gesù legato è ’ntanto: «O rabbi, ave». Quanto Chiamerai indarno osanna!
Venuto è già Maria E ’l figlio à ritrovato, Tra gente cruda e ria Battuto e fragellato, Sopra ’l Calvar menato; Non gli è più detto: «Osanna!»
A Dio con umil voce Volgasi ogn’ uom fedele A pianger Gesù in croce, Che per noi gusta fele! Oh gran cosa crudele, Vergine figlia d’ Anna!
Scripture echoes
- ↩Isa.1.3 — An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master's manger; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.
- ↩John.12.13 — They took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and they were shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'
- ↩John.12.3-John.12.6;Matt.26.6-Matt.26.16 — Then Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John.12.4 — But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, the one who was about to betray him, said, John.12.5 — Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? John.12.6 — He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he held the money bag and used to steal what was put into it. Matt.26.6 — Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, Matt.26.7 — a woman came to him, having an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. Matt.26.8 — But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, 'Why this waste?' Matt.26.9 — For this could have been sold for a great sum and given to the poor. Matt.26.10 — But Jesus, knowing this, said to them, 'Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.' Matt.26.11 — For you always have the poor among yourselves, but you do not always have me. Matt.26.12 — For in pouring this perfume on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Matt.26.13 — Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Matt.26.14 — Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. Matt.26.15 — and he said, 'What are you willing to give me, and I will hand him over to you?' And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. Matt.26.16 — And from that time he sought an opportunity to betray him.
- ↩John.13.26-John.13.30;Matt.26.14-Matt.26.16 — Jesus answered, 'It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.' So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. John.13.27 — And after the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus said to him, 'What you are doing, do quickly.' John.13.28 — But none of those reclining at the table knew for what reason he said this to him. John.13.29 — Some thought that because Judas held the money box, Jesus was telling him, 'Buy what we need for the feast,' or that he should give something to the poor. John.13.30 — So after receiving the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night. Matt.26.14 — Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. Matt.26.15 — and he said, 'What are you willing to give me, and I will hand him over to you?' And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. Matt.26.16 — And from that time he sought an opportunity to betray him.
- ↩John.18.3 — So Judas, having received the cohort and officers from the chief priests and from the Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
- ↩John.12.13 — They took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and they were shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'
- ↩John.12.13 — They took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and they were shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'
- ↩John.19.1 — Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and had him flogged.
Notes
- 1 ↩figliuola d’Anna names Mary as St. Anne’s daughter; the line is a festive welcome-cry opening a Nativity lauda.
- 2 ↩«fassi alma» (si fa alma): rendered as “comes alive,” capturing the poetic sense of Jerusalem being animated with soul/spirit in joy; more literal options include “is made a living soul” or “grows soulful.”
- 3 ↩Medieval Italian fello = wicked man / villain / felon; here Judas, the betrayer.
- 4 ↩Source à in “E ’l figlio à ritrovato” is the Tuscan contraction of ha (“has”); rendered as perfective “has found.” fragellato is a period spelling of flagellato (“scourged”).
Sacred Narratives (Storie Sacre) and Laude of Lucrezia Tornabuoni de' Medici companion
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