Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory,
the honour, and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High,
do they belong, and no man
is worthy to mention your name.

Praised be You, my lord, with all
your creatures, especially
Brother Sun, Who is the day and
through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant
with great splendor; and bears
a likeness of You, Most High One.

Praised be you, my Lord,
through Sister Moon and
the stars, in heaven you
formed them clear and precious
and beautiful. Praised be You,
my Lord, through Brother Wind, and
through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through
which you give sustenance
to your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through Sister Water, which
is very useful and humble
and precious and chaste. Praised
be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the
night and he is beautiful and
playful and robust and strong.
Praised be you, my Lord, through
our Sister Mother Earth, who
sustains and governs us, and
who produces varied fruits with
coloured flowers and herbs.
Praised be you, my Lord, through
those who give pardon for your
love and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure
in peace for by You,
Most High, they
shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man
can escape. Woe to those who
die in mortal sin. Blessed are
those whom death will find in
Your most holy will, for the second
death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and
give Him thanks and serve
Him with great humility.

Written by St. Francis, about 1225,
Chesterton writes that the Canticle
of Creatures "is a supremely
characteristic work and much
of Saint Francis could be reconstructed
from that work alone". This Canticle
witnesses the great love Francis
has for creation. It shows the union
of God and all he has created.