The Latin:
Benedíctus Dóminus Deus Ísraël,
quia uisitáuit, et fecit redemptiónem plebis suæ :
et eréxit cornu salútis nobis
in domo Dauid púeri sui,
sicut locútum est per os sanctórum,
qui a sǽculo sunt, prophetárum eíus :
salútem ex inimícis nostris,
et de manu ómnium qui odérunt nos.
The English:
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant: As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning: Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
[The canticle of Zechariah, father of St. John.]
There are some Latin primers available at TextKit. They are in the grammar school format, with exercises after each small lesson. Lesson by lesson, at least the basic Christian prayers will start making sense. Here is one particularly nice book.
The Latin:
Iubiláte Deo, omnis terra ;
serúite Dómino in lætítia.
Introíte in conspéctu eíus in exsultatióne.
Scitóte quóniam Dóminus ipse est Deus ;
ipse fecit nos, et non ipsi nos :
pópulus eíus, et oúes páscuæ eíus.
Introíte portas eíus in confessióne ;
átria eíus in hymnis :
confitémini illi.
Laudáte nomen eíus, quóniam suáuis est Dóminus,
in ætérnum misericórdia eíus,
et usque in generatiónem et generatiónem uéritas eíus.
The English (Douay-Rheims):
SING joyfully to God, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy. Know ye that the Lord he is God: he made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Go ye into his gates with praise, into his courts with hymns: and give glory to him. Praise ye his name: for the Lord is sweet, his mercy endureth for ever, and his truth to generation and generation.
[This appears to me to be the inspiration for a popular Hymn.]
