III. Ben vegna osanna – e la figliuola d'Anna!
The Joy of the Incarnation
The lauda opens with the celebration of the birth of the Nazarene Lord, drawing both Magi and shepherds to sing hosanna.
Welcome, hosanna—and the daughter of Anne!1 He is born in the hay, between the little donkey and the ox—the Nazarene Lord, just as was foretold.✦ Whoever wants to see Jesus, come and sing hosanna.2 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 singing Hosanna alone.
From Palm Sunday to Betrayal
The narrative shifts to the entry into Jerusalem and the subsequent betrayal by Judas, contrasting the crowd's praise with the unfolding treachery.
Pure love renews the world, at peace and glad; and the Savior comes down from the Mount of Olives, and the people cry out behind him with a loud voice: “Hosanna!”✦ Then Jerusalem rejoices and is made a living soul, and she strews olive and palm. Who will still weep for him? Everyone adores Jesus, all of them crying out: "Hosanna!"✦3 That evening, the Pharisees are deeply distressed by this, and Judas is indignant because of Mary Magdalene. He leaves the supper only to betray Hosanna.4 “Come,” says the villain, “to seize holy Jesus.” And he kisses him as a sign; Jesus is bound meanwhile: “Hail, Rabbi.”✦✦✦ How long you'll cry Hosanna in vain!✦5
The Sorrow of the Cross
The focus turns to the suffering of Jesus on Calvary and the call for the faithful to join Mary in mourning the crucified Lord.
Mary has already come and found her Son among a cruel and wicked people, beaten and scourged, led up Calvary; no one says “Hosanna!” to him anymore.✦✦6 Let every faithful soul turn to God with a humble voice to weep for Jesus on the cross, who tastes gall for our sake.7 Oh, what a great and cruel thing, Virgin, daughter of Anne!8
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.12.12-John.12.13 — The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast, hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 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!'
- ↩Matt.26.47-Matt.26.50;Mark.14.43-Mark.14.46;John.18.3-John.18.12 — And while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Matt.26.48 — Now the one who was betraying him gave them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is he; seize him." Matt.26.49 — And immediately he came to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' And he kissed him. Matt.26.50 — But Jesus said to him, 'Friend, for what purpose are you here?' Then they came forward, laid hands on Jesus, and arrested him. Mark.14.43 — And while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrives, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Mark.14.44 — Now the one who was betraying him had given them a signal, saying, 'The one I kiss is he; seize him, and lead him away under guard.' Mark.14.45 — And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, 'Rabbi!' and kissed him. Mark.14.46 — So they laid their hands on him and seized 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.18.4 — Jesus, knowing everything that was coming upon him, went out and said to them, 'Whom are you seeking?' John.18.5 — They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." He said to them, "I am he." And Judas, the one who was betraying him, was standing with them. John.18.6 — When he said to them, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground. John.18.7 — Again, therefore, he asked them, 'Whom are you seeking?' And they said, 'Jesus the Nazarene.' John.18.8 — Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.' John.18.9 — This was to fulfill the word he had spoken: 'I have not lost one of those you gave me.' John.18.10 — Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. Now the name of the servant was Malchus. John.18.11 — Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath. The cup that the Father has given me—shall I not drink it?" John.18.12 — Then the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.
- ↩Matt.26.48-Matt.26.49;Mark.14.44-Mark.14.45 — Now the one who was betraying him gave them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is he; seize him." Matt.26.49 — And immediately he came to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' And he kissed him. Mark.14.44 — Now the one who was betraying him had given them a signal, saying, 'The one I kiss is he; seize him, and lead him away under guard.' Mark.14.45 — And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, 'Rabbi!' and kissed him.
- ↩Matt.26.49;Mark.14.45 — And immediately he came to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' And he kissed him. Mark.14.45 — And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, 'Rabbi!' and kissed him.
- ↩Matt.21.9;Mark.11.9-Mark.11.10;John.12.13 — The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed were shouting, saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!' Mark.11.9 — And those who went ahead and those who followed were crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" Mark.11.10 — Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest! 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 = Mary, daughter of St. Anne; kept as ‘daughter of Anne’ to preserve the source’s Marian title rather than substituting ‘Mary’.
- 2 ↩Source form Gesue is a vernacular spelling of Gesù (Jesus); rendered as Jesus.
- 3 ↩Archaic Italian fassi alma (si fa alma): alma may be the noun 'soul' (predicate: the city becomes a living soul / is spiritualized) or the adjective alma 'holy/nourishing' (Jerusalem is made holy). Rendered as 'is made a living soul' to keep the soul sense without inventing a different predicate.
- 4 ↩In this laude, osanna is used as a poetic name for Jesus (the one hailed with ‘Hosanna’), not merely the acclamation itself; English ‘Hosanna’ preserves that epithet.
- 5 ↩Quanto + future Chiamerai intensifies futile acclamation: after the betrayal, the Palm-Sunday cry of Hosanna is empty; next stanza confirms Osanna is no longer spoken to Jesus.
- 6 ↩Italian «à ritrovato» is archaic for «ha ritrovato» (“has found”). «fragellato» is the medieval spelling of «flagellato» (scourged/flogged).
- 7 ↩fele (modern fiele) is gall/bile; the Passion image of Christ given bitter gall on the cross.
- 8 ↩Vergine figlia d'Anna addresses Mary as daughter of Saint Anne; gran cosa crudele names the Passion's cruelty in Marian address.
Storie Sacre and Laude of Lucrezia Tornabuoni de' Medici companion
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