Eternal Light Full Text

Eternal Light: A Requiem, by Howard Goodall

TEXT

1.  Requiem – Kyrie

Requiem aeternam dona eis,

Domine: et lux perpetua.

Grant them an everlasting peace, Lord, and perpetual light.

 

Kyrie eleison.

Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

 

Close now thine eyes and rest secure;

They soul is safe enough, thy body sure;

he that loves thee, He that keeps

And guards thee, never slumbers, never sleeps.

the smiling conscience in a sleeping breast

Has only peace, has only rest;

the music and the mirth of kings

Are all but very discords, when she sings;

Then close thine eyes and rest secure;

No sleep so sweet as thine, no rest so sure.

 

[Francis Quarles 1592-1644]

 

Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine

Grant them everlasting rest, Lord

 

2. Revelation – Factum est silentium

Factum est silentium in cœlo

There was silence in heaven

Et vidi septem illos angelos qui adstant in conspectu Dei, quibus datæ sunt septem tubæ.

And I saw angels standing before God, and to them were given seven trumpets

Et septum angeli, qui habebant septem tubas, præparaverunt se ut clangerent.

And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to blow

Primus igitur angelus clanxit, et facta est grando et ignis, mista sanguine, projectaque sunt in terram: et tertia pars arborum exusta est, et omne gramen viride exustum.

The first angel blew, and there was made hail and fire, which were mingled with blood, and they were cast in to the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt, and all green grass was burnt.

Deinde secundus angelus clanxit, et quasi mons magnus igne ardens projectus est in mare: factaque est tertia pars maris sanguis. Et mortua est tertia pars creaturarum quæ erant in mari, animantia dico, et tertia pars navium periit.

And the second angel blew: and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast in to the sea, and the third part of the sea turned to blood, and the third part of the creatures which had life, died, and the third part of ships were destroyed.

Tum angelus tertius clanxit, et cecidit e cœlo stella magna, ardens velut lampas, ceciditque in tertiam partem fluminum, et in fontes aquarum. Nomen autem stellæ dicitur Absinthium: versa est igitur tertia pars aquarum in absinthium, et multi homines mortui sunt ex aquis, quod amaræ factæ essent.

And the third angel blew, and there fell a great star from heaven burning as it were a lamp, and it fell into the third part of the rivers, and into fountains of waters, and the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part was turned to wormwood. And many men died of the waters because they were made bitter.

Deinde quartus angelus clanxit, et percussa est tertia pars solis, et tertia pars lunæ, et tertia pars stellarum: ita ut obscuraretur tertia pars eorum, et diei non luceret pars tertia, et noctis similiter.

And the fourth angel blew,  and the third part of the sun was smitten and the third part of the moon, and the third part of stars: so that the third part of them was darkened. And the day was smitten that the third part of it should not shine, and likewise the night.

Et vidi, et audivi unum angelum volantem per medium cœli, dicentem voce magna, Væ, væ, væ incolis terræ a reliquis sonis tubæ trium illorum angelorum qui clangent!

And I beheld and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the voices to come of the trumpet of the three angels which were yet to blow.

 

[St John the Divine, Book of Revelation & Apocalypse Chapter 8, Translation by William Tyndale (1534)]

 

3. Litany – Belief

I have to believe

That you still exist

Somewhere,

That you still watch me

Sometimes,

That you still love me

Somehow.

 

I have to believe

That life has meaning

Somehow,

That I am useful here

Sometimes,

That I make small differences

Somewhere.

 

I have to believe

That I need to stay here

For some time,

That all this teaches me

Something,

So that I can meet you again

Somewhere.

 

[Ann Thorp]

 

4. Hymn – Lead, kindly light

LEAD, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom

Lead Thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home—

Lead Thou me on!

Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene—one step enough for me.

 

I was not ever thus, nor pray’d that Thou

Shouldst lead me on.

I loved to choose and see my path, but now

Lead Thou me on!

I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,

Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.

 

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still

Will lead me on,

O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till

The night is gone;

And with the morn those angel faces smile

Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

 

[John Henry Newman]

 

5. Lacrymosa – Do not stand at my grave and weep

Lacrymosa, dies illa

That day will be one of weeping

 

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the softly falling snow.

I am the gentle showers of rain,

I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,

I am in the graceful rush

Of far-off birds in circling flight.

I am the starshine of the night.

 

I am in every flower that blooms,

I am in still and empty rooms.

I am the child that yearns to sing,

I am in each lovely thing.

 

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there – I did not die.

 

[Mary Elizabeth Frye (1904-) modified by Howard Goodall]

 

6. Dies Irae – In Flanders Fields

Dies irae, dies illa.

Calamitatis et miseriae, dies magna et amara valde.

That day, the day of wrath, calamity and wretchedness

That great and bitter day

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

the larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

 

[John McCrae 1872-1918]

 

7. Recordare – Drop, drop, slow tears

Recordare Jesu pie,

Quod sum causa tuae viae,

Ne me perdas illa die. Recordare Jesu pie

Remember, dear Jesus, that I am the reason for your journey

Do not abandon me on that final day

 

Drop, drop, slow tears,

And bathe those beauteous feet

Which brought from Heaven

The news and Prince of Peace:

Cease not, wet eyes,

His mercy to entreat:

To cry for vengeance

Sin doth never cease

In your deep floods

Drown all my faults and fears:

Nor let his eye

See sin, but through my tears.

 

[Phineas Fletcher 1582-1650]

 

8. Revelation – Tum angelus tertius clanxit

Tum angelus tertius clanxit, et cecidit e cœlo stella magna, ardens velut lampas, ceciditque in tertiam partem fluminum, et in fontes aquarum. Nomen autem stellæ dicitur Absinthium: versa est igitur tertia pars aquarum in absinthium, et multi homines mortui sunt ex aquis, quod amaræ factæ essent.

 

Deinde quartus angelus clanxit, et percussa est tertia pars solis, et tertia pars lunæ, et tertia pars stellarum: ita ut obscuraretur tertia pars eorum, et diei non luceret pars tertia, et noctis similiter.

 

Et vidi, et audivi unum angelum volantem per medium cœli, dicentem voce magna, Væ, væ, væ incolis terræ a reliquis sonis tubæ trium illorum angelorum qui clangent!

 

[St John the Divine, Book of Revelation & Apocalypse, translation by William Tyndale]

 

9. Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest

 

10. In Paradisum – Lux Aeterna

In paradisum deducant te angeli,

in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres,

et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.

Into paradise may angels lead you, on your arrival may the martyrs greet you

And bring you to the holy city of Jerusalem.

Chorus angelorum te suscipiat,

et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.

May choirs of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, once a poor man,

May you have eternal rest.

 

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,

Cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.

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

May everlasting light shine upon them, Lord,

Together with the saints throughout eternity, for you are merciful.

Grant them everlasting peace and an eternal light

 

Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna,

in die illa tremenda, quando coeli movendi sunt et terra.

Deliver me, Lord, from an endless death on that dread day,

When the heavens and the earth will quake.

 

Recordare Jesu pie,

Quod sum causa tuae viae,

Ne me perdas illa die.

Remember, sweet Jesus, that I am the reason for your journey

Do not abandon me on that final day.

 

LEAD, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom

Lead Thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home—

Lead Thou me on!

Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene—one step enough for me.

 

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still

Will lead me on,

O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till

The night is gone;

And with the morn those angel faces smile

Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

 

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there

 

No rest so sure

 

One step enough for me

 

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

Grant them everlasting peace, Lord, and an eternal light.