Before study (St Thomas Aquinas)

Creator beyond all words,
who from the treasures of your wisdom appointed three hierarchies of angels
and set them in wonderful order above the highest heaven,
and arranged every part of the universe so beautifully:
you who are called the true fountain of light and wisdom,
the first beginning above all things,
be pleased to pour a ray of your brightness
on the darkness of my mind,
and take from me the double darkness in which I was born,
sin and ignorance.

You who make eloquent the tongues of little children,
teach my tongue,
and pour the grace of your blessing on my lips.
Give me sharpness to understand,
strength to remember,
method and ease in learning,
insight in interpreting,
and a rich grace in speaking.
Guide my beginning, direct my progress,
and bring my work to its end.
You who are true God and true man,
who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

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

Tu, qui linguas infantium facis disertas,
linguam meam erudias,
atque in labiis meis gratiam tuae benedictionis infundas.
Da mihi intelligendi acumen,
retinendi capacitatem,
addiscendi modum et facilitatem,
interpretandi subtilitatem,
loquendi gratiam copiosam.
Ingressum instruas, progressum dirigas,
egressum compleas.
Tu, qui es verus Deus et homo,
qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.