Writing - The Requiem Mass

Copyright© 1995, John Davies MA, Dave Trigg MA, Gordon Gibson BA, Des Bruton BA.

I had sung this text quite often, so, back in 1995, I decided that I would like to know exactly what it means. All the translations I could find were not literal, and there were many parts which were just paraphrases carried out by people who had particular biases.

This translation is different. It says exactly what is written in Latin.

The process was simple. I did the first translation, and then I handed it over to Dave Trigg, a great friend who did his MA in classics at St. Andrews. Dave had the great fortune to be a student of the renowned classics scholar, Professor KJ Dover! Of course, my translation was only a starting point and the other guys noisily and joyfully tore it to shreds!! This was predictable because my Latin is hopeless compared to theirs. Anyway, after the arguments, we arrived at this translation, which is not biased in any way at all.

The text turned out to be quite confronting, I feel…. and a bit scary!

I INTROITUS

REQUIEM ET KYRIE

Requiem eternam 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.
Kyrie eleison.

Grant unto them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. You are worthy of hymns, O God in Sion and vows are rendered to you in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer. Unto you, all flesh shall come.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

II SEQUENCE

DIES IRAE

Dies irae, dies illa,
solvet saeculum in favilla
teste David cum Sybilla.

Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus.

Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulcra regionem
coget omnes ante thronum.

Day of wrath, that day. Man’s time dissolves in ashes as was foretold by the prophets, David and the Sybil.

What fear is to come when the Judge arrives! All things will be completely destroyed.

The trumpets spreading their marvelous sound around the graves of all the regions will compel all before the throne.

MORS STUPEBIT

Mors Stupebit et natura
cum resuget creatura
judicanti responsura.

Death and nature will be astounded as all creation rises again to answer the Judge.

LIBER SCRIPTUS

Liber scriptus proferetur
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus judicetur.

Judex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid late apparebit;
nil inultum remanebit.

The written record will be brought forward in which all deeds are contained by which the world will be judged.

Therefore, when the Judge sits, all that which is hidden will be revealed. Nothing will be left unpunished.

QUID SUM MISER

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus,
quem patronem rogaturus,
cum vix Justus sit securus.

At that time, what am I, a miserable wretch, to say? Who shall intercede for me when even the just are hardly secure?

REX TREMENDAE

Rex tremendae majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me fons pietatis.

King of dreadful majesty, who freely saves those who deserve salvation: save me, fountain of holiness!

RECORDARE

Recordeare, 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

Remember kind Jesus that I am the reason for your life on earth. Do not let me be lost on that day

Though weary, you resolutely sought me. You redeemed me by your suffering on the cross. Let not such great labour be in vain.

Judge who punishes justly, give me the gift of forgiveness before the day of reckoning.

INGEMISCO

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.

I groan like the guilty man. My face is red with guilt. Spare me, who kneel before you, O God.

You who absolved Mary Magdalen and favourably listened to the good thief – to me also, you give hope.

My prayers are unworthy, but you, full of goodness, treat me kindly so that I will not burn in fire forever.

Find a place for me amongst thy sheep and separate me from the loathsome goats and stand me on your right side.

CONFUTATIS MALEDICTUS

Confutatis maledictus,
flammis accribus addictis,
voca me cum benedictis.
Oro supplex et acclinis:
cor contritum quasi cinis;
gere curam mei finis.

After having confounded the wicked and consigned them to the fierce flames, call me along with the Blessed! I pray kneeling before you with a contrite heart as if in ashes. Take care of me at the end.

LACRYMOSA

Lacrymosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla,
judicandus hom reus.
Huis ergo, parce, Deus.
Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem.

What tears on that day when there will rise from the ashes the guilty man to be judged. Therefore, O God, spare him. Gentle Jesus, grant them rest.

III OFFERTORIUM

DOMINE JESU CHRISTE

Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae libera
animas omni fidelium defunctorum
de poenis inferni et de profundu lacu: libera
eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus
ne cadant in obscurum.
Sed signifer sanctus
Michael repraesentat 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
Abrhae promisisti et semini ejus.

Lord Jesus Christ, King of Glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell and the deep pit: release them from the lion’s jaws; let not Tartarus absorb them, let them not fall into darkness. But the Holy standard-bearer, Michael, brings them back into the Holy light which once you promised to Abraham and his descendants.

We offer sacrifice and prayers of praise to thee, O Lord. Receive them for those souls which we remember today. Let them pass, O Master, from death to the life you promised to Abraham and his offspring.

IV SANCTUS

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus,
Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et
terra Gloria tua.
Hosanna in exelisis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Master, Lord of Hosts. The Heavens and Earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

V AGNUS DEI

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona eis requiem.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona eis requiem sempitrnam.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest.

VI COMMUNIO

LUX AETERNA

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,
cum sanctis tuis in aeternum,
quia pius est.

Let eternal light shine upon them, Lord, with your saints in eternity, because You are Holy.

VII ABSOLUTIO

LIBERA ME

Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna
in die illa tremenda, quando coeli
movendi sunt et terra, dum veneris
judicare saeculum per ignem.

Tremens factus sum ego et timeo,
dum discussio venerit atque ventura ira;
quando coeli movendi sunt et terra.

Dies irae, dies illa,
calamitatis et miseriae,
dies magna et amara valde,
dum veneris judicare
saeculum per ignem.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Deliver me, Lord, from eternal death on that fearful day when the heavens and Earth must move, when you will come to judge the world by fire.

I have become a trembling wretch and I am in fear until the shaking asunder and anger have come, when the heavens and the Earth must move.

Day of wrath, that dreaded day - a day of bitterness and misery - a mighty day of intense bitterness when judgement by fire comes to man’s time.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

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