Text: Requiem in f minor

Heinrich Biber (1644–1704)

Original Text	English Translation

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus, Deus in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem; exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis caro veniet. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison. Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla, teste David cum Sybilla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando judex est venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus! Tuba mirum spargens sonum, per sepulchra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum. Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurget creatura, judicanti responsura. Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totum continetur, unde mundus judicetur. Judex ergo cum sedebit, quidquid latet apparebit, nil inultum remanebit. Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, Quem patronum rogaturus, cum vix justus sit securus? Rex remendae majestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis, salva me, fons pietatis. Recordare Jesu pie, quod sum causa tuae viae, ne me perdas illa die. Quaerens me, sedisti lassus, redemisti crucem passus; tantus labor non sit cassus. Juste judex ultionis, donum fac remissionis ante diem rationis. Ingemisco tanquam reus, culpa rubet vultus meus; supplicanti parce, Deus. Qui Mariam absolvisti, et latronem exaudisti; mihi quoque spem dedisti. Preces meae non sunt dignae, sed tu, bonus, fac benigne, ne perenni cremer igne. Inter oves locum praesta, et ab haedis me sequestra, statuens in parte dextra. Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis, voca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinism, gere curam mei finis. Lacrymosa dies illa, qua resurget ex favilla, judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce Deus. Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Amen. Domine Jesu Christe, rex gloriae, libera animus omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum: sed signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam, quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus. Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus. Tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus, fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus. Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis! Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis! Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam. Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.	Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. A hymn, O God, becometh Thee in Zion, and a vow shall be paid to Thee in Jerusalem; O Lord, hear my prayer, all flesh shall come to Thee. Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us. That day, the day of wrath when the world is reduced to ashes, as foretold by David and the Sibyl. What trembling there will be when the judge shall come to weight everything strictly! The trumpet, broadcasting its awful sound across the graves of all lands summons all before the throne. Death and nature shall be stunned when mankind arises to be reckoned by the judge. The written book shall be brought in which all is contained whereby the world shall be judged. When the judge takes his seat all that is hidden shall appear; nothing will remain unpunished. What shall I, a wretch, say then? To which protector shall I appeal When even the just man is barely safe? King of awful majesty You freely save those worthy of salvation, save me, fount of pity. Remember, gentle Jesus that I am the reason for your time on earth, do not cast me out on that day. Seeking me, you sank down wearily, You saved me by enduring the cross, such travail must not be in vain. Righteous judge of vengeance, award the gift of forgiveness before the day of reckoning. I groan as one guilty, my face blushes with guilt; spare the suppliant, O God. Thou sho didst absolve Mary and heard the prayer of the thief hast given me hope, too. My prayers are not worthy, but Thou, O good one, show mercy, Lest I burn in everlasting fire. Place me among the favored sheep. And separate me from the goats, Placing me on Thy right hand. When the damned are confounded and consigned to keen flames, invite me up with the blessed. I pray, suppliant and kneeling, with heart as sad as if derelict, take Thou my ending into Thy care. That day of weeping, On which shall rise again from the ashes The guilty man, to be judged. Therefore spare this one, O God: Merciful Lord Jesus, Give them rest. Amen. O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell and from the deep pit; Deliver them from the lion’s mouth let hell engulf them not, nor they fall into darkness. But that Michael, the holy standardbearer, bring them into the holy light, which Thou once didst promise to Abraham and his seed. We offer Thee, O Lord, sacrifices and prayers of praise; do Thou accept them for those souls whom we this day commemorate; grant them, O Lord, to pass from death to the life which Thou once didst promise to Abraham and his seed. Holy, Lord God of hosts. The heavens and the earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: give unto them everlasting rest. Let eternal light shine upon them, O Lord, with Thy saints forever, for Thou art kind. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; with Thy saints forever, for Thou art kind.

Translation: Leslie King, Frazier Stevenson