| O Phoebus, and Diana ruler of the woodlands, | |
| Radiant glory of the sky, O ye who are to be worshiped | |
| Always, and venerated, grant what we pray for | |
| In this sacred season | |
| In which the Sibylline verses admonished | 5 |
| Chosen girls and spotless boys | |
| For the gods who favor the seven hills | |
| To sing a song. | |
| Fostering Sun, thou who in shining chariot the day | |
| Dost reveal and conceal and art as another | 10 |
| Yet the same reborn, may you than the city of Rome be able | |
| To behold nothing greater! | |
| Gentle to bring to light issue | |
| In due season, O Ilithyia (Goddess of Birthing), protect mothers, | |
| Whether thou dost delight to be called Lucina (Radiant Goddess) | 15 |
| Or Genitalis (Birth Goddess). | |
| Goddess, may you bring forth offspring, and make our fathers' | |
| Decrees prosper on the joining | |
| Of women, and with new progeny fruitful | |
| The law on marriage. | 20 |
| That each ten times eleven years the fixed | |
| Circuit return the songs and games | |
| For three bright days and as many pleasant | |
| Nights in throngs. | |
| And ye, O Fates, truthful in having sung | 25 |
| What was once ordained (and may the firmly fixed | |
| Boundary keep it so), do ye now to deeds past | |
| Join fair fortune. | |
| Fertile in fruit and flocks, the earth, | |
| May she endow Ceres with crown of grain; | 30 |
| May both healthful waters nourish the harvests, | |
| And Jove's breezes. | |
| Mild and peaceful, thy spear laid aside, | |
| Heed the suppliant boys, O Apollo; | |
| Horned queen of the stars, heed, | 35 |
| O Moon, the girls. | |
| If Rome is your handiwork, and Trojan | |
| Throngs held the Tuscan shore, | |
| A remnant bidden to move their household gods and city | |
| In a passage to safety, | 40 |
| For which, without harm through burning Troy, | |
| Unsullied Aeneas, surviving his fatherland, | |
| Did secure a free path, bound to give | |
| More than what was left behind, | |
| Ye gods, honest ways to teachable young, | 45 |
| Ye gods, to serene old age quiet rest, | |
| To Romulus' people grant substance and issue | |
| And every glory. | |
| And what with white bulls the famous | |
| Blood of Anchises and Venus of you doth entreat, | 50 |
| May he obtain, master o'er the warrior, yet | |
| Gentle to the prostrate foe. | |
| Already on sea and land his mighty armies | |
| The Mede doth fear, and his Alban axes, | |
| Already the Scythians seek his response, proud | 55 |
| Only recently, and the Indians. | |
| Already Loyalty and Peace and Honor and Ancient | |
| Modesty and neglected Virtue to return | |
| Doth venture, and blessed Plenty appear | |
| With full horn. | 60 |
| Augur, and splendid in gleaming bow, | |
| Phoebus, beloved of the nine Muses, | |
| Who with healing art doth uplift | |
| The body's weary limbs, | |
| If favorably he doth behold Palatine altars, | 65 |
| Roman wealth and Latium kindly | |
| Into another cycle prolong and | |
| Into a better age, | |
| And she who guards the Aventine and Mount Algidus, | |
| Diana, the prayers of the Fifteen Men | 70 |
| Doth heed and to the vows of children doth | |
| Lend kindly ears, | |
| That these prayers Jove and all the gods must hear, | |
| Homeward I do bear good and certain hope, | |
| I, the chorus, taught both of Phoebus and Diana | 75 |
| The praises to tell. |
Translation, Z. Philip Ambrose, November 1998