Blessing of Books

The archive.org edition of the Exeter Pontifical (The Liber pontificalis of Edmund Lacy, bishop of Exeter) has a cool blessing of books. It sounds like one of those beginning of the cathedral school year things, maybe used to bless a library or a book donation. I haven’t been able to find any handy-dandy translations of this one on Google Books, so here goes.

Descendat, quesumus, Domine, virtus Spiritus Sancti super libros istos,
We beseech, O Lord, that the power of the Holy Spirit may descend upon these books,

qui eos mundando purificet + et benedicat + atque sanctificet,
that, cleansing them, He may purify + and bless + and sanctify them,

et omnium clementer corda illuminet, et verum intellectum tribuat,
and mercifully enlighten the hearts of all and bestow true understanding,

set et illuminata tua precepta conservare,
but may those enlightened also keep all Your teachings;

et implere tuam voluntatem bonis operibus implendo concedat.
and may He permit the accomplishment of good works to fulfill Your will.

Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Oremus. Accende et inflamma, suppliciter flagitamus Domine Deus noster,
Let us pray. Kindle and inflame, we humbly entreat You, o Lord our God,

virtute Spiritus Sancti, corda nostra et sensus nostros atque intelligencias nostras
our hearts and our senses and our intelligences with the power of the Holy Spirit

ad scrutandos sive intelligendos hos libros, necnon et alios,
for scrutinizing and understanding in these books, and indeed others also,

tue inspiracionis gracia, conscriptos,
what is written by Your grace’s inspiration,

ut ea, que in eis reperimus, intelligere veraciter, aliosque docere valeamus:
so that what we discover in them, we may be able to understand truthfully and teach others as well:

set et in omnibus tua sequi, te donante, mandata studeamus:
but also that You grant that we be eager to follow Your command in all things;

et nos omnesque hos libros dextera potencie tue + benedicere consecrare, et conservare digneris;
and that You deem it worthy to + bless, consecrate, and preserve us, and all these books, with the power of Your right hand;

studiose humiliter et devote hos et alios libros tue voluntatis jure conscriptos,
that from these books, and other books in which Your will is rightly written, the humbly studious and devout

legendo, et intelligendo, docendoque tibi multos lucrari,
reading and understanding and learning of You, may profit many,

omnesque nobis commissos immaculatos tue majestati representari valeamus,
that all of us may be able to show ourselves spotless before Your Majesty,

ipso auxiliante, cui est honor et imperium per infinita secula seculorum. Amen.
helped by You, to Whom is honor and authority through infinite ages of ages. Amen.

Standard disclaimer: My understanding of Latin being very dodgy, you shouldn’t trust my translation as far as you can throw it if there’s any sort of academic question involved. Like grades.