Prayer Before Study

CREATOR ineffabilis, qui de thesauris sapientiae tuae tres Angelorum hierarchias designasti et eas super caelum empyreum miro ordine collocasti atque universi partes elegantissime distribuisti:

Ineffable Creator, who, from the treasures of Your wisdom, established three hierarchies of angels and set them in wondrous order above the empyrean heaven, and most elegantly arranged the parts of the universe:

Tu, inquam, qui verus fons luminis et sapientiae diceris ac supereminens principium, infundere digneris super intellectus mei tenebras tuae radium claritatis, duplices, in quibus natus sum, a me removens tenebras, peccatum scilicet et ignorantiam.

You, I say, who are called the true source of light and wisdom and the transcendent principle, deign to pour over the darkness of my understanding a ray of Your clarity, removing from me the twofold darkness in which I was born, namely sin and ignorance.

Tu, qui linguas infantium facis disertas, linguam meam erudias atque in labiis meis gratiam tuae benedictionis infundas.

You, who make the tongues of children eloquent, instruct my tongue and pour into my lips the grace of Your blessing.

Da mihi intelligendi acumen, retinendi capacitatem, addiscendi modum et facilitatem, interpretandi subtilitatem, loquendi gratiam copiosam.

Grant me keenness in understanding, capacity in retaining, method and ease in learning, subtlety in interpreting, and abundant grace in speaking.

Ingressum instruas, progressum dirigas, egressum compleas.

Instruct my beginning, direct my progress, and bring my completion to fulfillment.

Tu, qui es verus Deus et homo, qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

You, who are true God and true man, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.