Day 56 of #100daysofchant
Jesu Rex Admirabilis is one part of St Bernard of Clairvaux's Really Long Poem. The other popular part is Jesu Dulcis Memoria.
Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina arranged it in this beautiful three part motet.
Here we alternate between the Palestrina and the Gregorian chant.
1 Jesu, Rex admirabilis
Et triumphator nobilis
Dulcedo ineffabilis
Totus desiderabilis.
2 Mane nobiscum Domine
Et nos illustra lumine
Pulsa mentis caligine
Mundum reple dulcedine.
3 Te saeculorum Principem,
Te, Christe, regem gentium,
Te mentium, Te cordium
unum fatemur arbitrum.
4 Amor Iesus continuus
Mihi languor assiduus
Mihi Iesus mellifluus
Fructus vitæ perpetuus
5 Quocumque loco fuero
Semper Iesum desidero
Amore Iesus langueo
& corde totus ardeo
1 O Jesu, King most wonderful,
Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou sweetness most ineffable,
In whom all joys are found!
2 When once thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine;
Then earthly vanities depart;
Then kindles love divine.
3 O Jesu! Light of all below!
Thou Fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire:
4 May every heart confess thy name,
And ever thee adore;
And seeking thee, itself inflame
To seek thee more and more.
5 Thee may our tongues forever bless,
Thee may we love alone;
And ever in our lives express
The image of thine own.
Translation by Edward Caswall
