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Music Texts and Translations
The original texts and English translations of all songs performed by Tenebrae for Sacred Songs - The Secrets of Our Hearts, can be found below.
Tenebrae sing Bach
Tenebrae perform the chorale "Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden" by J S Bach.
J S Bach 鈥� Wenn Ich Einmal Soll Scheiden
| Original Text (German) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden, so scheide nicht von mir, | When I must depart one day, do not depart from me then; |
| wenn ich den Tod soll leiden, so tritt du denn herf眉r! | when I must suffer death, then stand by me; |
| Wenn mir am allerb盲ngsten wird um das Herze sein, | When my heart will be most fearful, |
| so rei脽 mich aus den 脛ngsten kraft deiner Angst und Pein! | then snatch me from the terrors by the virtue of your own fear and pain! |
Alonso Lobo - Versa Est In Luctum
| Original Text (Latin) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Versa est in luctum c铆thara mea, et 贸rganum meum in vocem fl茅ntium. | My harp is turned to grieving and my flute into the voice of those who weep. |
| Parce mihi D贸mine, nihil enim sunt dies mei. | Spare me, O Lord, for my days are as nothing. |
Gregorio Allegri - Miserere
| Original Text (Latin) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; et s茅cundum multit煤dinem miserati贸num tu谩rum, d茅le iniquitatem m茅am. | Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. |
| Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me. | Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin. |
| Qu贸niam iniquit谩tem m茅am 茅go cogn贸sco, et pecc谩tum m茅um contra me est s茅mper. | For I acknowledge my faults: and my sin is ever before me. |
| Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci; ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris. | Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. |
| Ecce enim in iniquit谩tibus conc茅ptus sum: et in pecc谩tis conc茅pit me m谩ter m茅a. | Behold, I was shapen in wickedness: and in sin hath my mother conceived me. |
| Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti; incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi. | But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts: and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly. |
| Asp茅rges me hyss贸po, et mund谩bor; lav谩bis me, et super nivem dealb谩bor. | Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. |
| Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata. | Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness: that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. |
| Av茅rte f谩ciem t煤am a pecc谩tis m茅is, et 贸mnes iniquit谩tes m茅as d茅le. | Turn thy face from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds. |
| Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. | Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. |
| Ne proj铆cias me a f谩cie tua, et spiritum s谩nctum t煤um ne 谩uferas a me. | Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not thy holy Spirit from me. |
| Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui, et spiritu principali confirma me. | O give me the comfort of thy help again: and stablish me with thy free Spirit. |
| Doc茅bo in铆quos vias t煤as, et 铆mpii ad te convert茅ntur. | Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked: and sinners shall be converted unto thee. |
| Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae, et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam. | Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health: and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. |
| D贸mine, labia m茅a ap茅ries, et os m茅um annunti谩bit l谩udem t煤am. | Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord: and my mouth shall shew thy praise. |
| Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique; holocaustis non delectaberis. | For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee: but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. |
| Sacrif铆cium D茅o spiritus contribul谩tus; cor contr铆tum et humili谩tum, Deus, non despicies. | The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. |
| Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion, ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem. | O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. |
| Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes et holocausta; tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos. | Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. |
Henry Purcell - Thou Knowest Lord the Secrets of Our Hearts
Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts;
Shut not thy merciful ears unto our prayer;
But spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty.
O holy and most merciful Saviour,
Thou most worthy Judge eternal,
Suffer us not at our last hour,
For any pains of death to fall from Thee. Amen.
Hubert Parry - My Soul There is a Country
My soul, there is a country far beyond the stars,
where stands a winged sentry,
All skilful in the wars:
There, above noise and danger,
Sweet Peace sits crowned with smiles
And One, born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.
He is thy gracious friend,
And O my soul awake!
Did in pure love descend
To die here for thy sake.
If thou canst get but thither,
There grows the flow'r of Peace,
The Rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress and thy ease.
Leave then thy foolish ranges,
For none can thee secure
But One who never changes
Thy God Thy life Thy cure.
J S Bach - Ach Herr, Lass Dein Lieb Engelein
| Original Text (German) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein am letzten End die Seele mein in Abrahams Scho脽 tragen. | O Lord, send your cherubs In my last hour to bear my soul away to Abraham鈥檚 bosom; |
| Den Leib in sein'm Schlafk盲mmerlein gar sanft, ohn einge Qual und Pein, ruhn bis am j眉ngsten Tage! | let it rest there untouched by any pain until the last day. |
| Alsdenn vom Tod erwecke mich, dass meine Augen sehen dich in aller Freud, o Gottes Sohn, mein Heiland und Genadenthron. | Wake me then from death鈥檚 sleep So that my joyful eyes may see you, The Son of God, My Saviour |
| Herr Jesu Christ, erh枚re mich, erh枚re mich, ich will dich preisen ewiglich. | Lord Jesus, grant me this and I will glorify you throughout eternity. |
