Question the beauty of the earth

Interroga pulchritudinem terrae

The beauty of the sea

interroga pulchritudinem maris

The beauty of the wide air around you

interroga pulchritudinem dilatati et diffusi aeris

The beauty of the sky

interroga pulchritudinem coeli

Question the order of the stars

interroga ordinem siderum

The sun whose brightness lights the day

interroga solem fulgore suo diem clarificantem

The moon whose splendor
softens the gloom of night

interroga lunam splendore subsequentis
noctis tenebras temperantem

Question the living creatures
that move in the waters

interroga animalia
quae moventur in aquis

That roam upon the earth

quae morantur in terris

That fly through the air

quae volitant in aere

The spirit that lies hidden

latentes animas

The matter that is manifest

perspicua corpora

The visible things that are ruled

visibilia regenda

The invisible that rule them

invisibiles regentes

Question all these
interroga ista

They will answer you
Respondent tibi omnia

“Behold and see, we are beautiful.”
Ecce vide, pulchra sumus

Their beauty is their confession of God
Pulchritudo eorum, confessio eorum

Who made these beautiful changing things
Ista pulchra mutabilia quis fecit

If not one who is beautiful and changeth not?
nisi incommutabilis pulcher?

from a Sermon of St. Augustine (241, ii)