The season and Latin
Veni, veni Emmanuel!
Captivum solve Israel!
Qui gemit in exilio,
Privatus Dei Filio,
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni o Jesse virgula!
Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De specu tuos tartari
Educ, et antro barathri.
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni, veni o oriens!
Solare nos adveniens,
Noctis depelle nebulas,
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel. [5]
Veni clavis Davidica!
Regna reclude coelica,
Fac iter Tutum superum,
Et claude vias Inferum.
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni, veni Adonai![16]
Qui populo in Sinai
Legem dedisti vertice,
In maiestate gloriae.
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni, O Sapientia,
Quae hic disponis omnia,
Veni, viam prudentiae
Ut doceas et gloriae.
Veni, Veni, Rex Gentium,
Veni, Redemptor omnium,
Ut salves tuos famulos
Peccati sibi conscios.
That hymn was based on the 'Seven great Os', the Magnificat antiphons sung at Vespers during the week before Christmas, beginning on the evening of December 16th (so liturgically the 17th, the day begins at sunset) with 'O Sapientia...' (Down boys, they have no connection whatsoever with l'Histoire d'O )
It was translated in the nineteenth century by the well-known hymn-writer J. M. Neale, and is familiar at least in the Anglican world as the Advent hymn 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel', sung to a haunting Hebrew melody.