Insanae et vanae curae

For our upcoming concert, we received the following email today:

Dear Choral Society,
With the kind permission of the Secretary, I am enclosing a version of the “Insanae et vanae curae” in case those whose Latinity is rusty or non-existent would find it helpful to have a more or less word by word translation.



Insanae et vanae curae – mad and groundless cares
invadunt mentes nostras; – invade our minds;
saepe furore replent – often with frenzy they fill
corda privata spe. – our hearts, deprived of hope

quid prodest, o Mortalis, – what does it avail you, Mortal,
conari pro mundanis, – to strive after earthly things
si coelos negligas? – if you are to neglect the Heavens?
Sunt fausta tibi cuncta – everything is propitious for you
si Deus est pro te. – if God is on your side

I divide into two stanzas, mainly of iambic tetrameters catalectic, but if anyone wants to challenge this or to debate the translation or (best of all) to tell me the original (?) Mediaeval Latin source (which I haven’t uncovered) you are welcome to do so at the rehearsal.
Ronald

Our friend Gemma says that it’s “an old British thing” for everyone to know Latin, which is why most of the choir can just roll it off their tongues, unlike us. What’s that about? And the music truly is as dramatic as it sounds!

– D & T

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