Miserere
Choir Of St John's College Cambridge & George Guest Lyrics

Miserere mei, Deus,
Have mercy on me, O God,

secundum magnam misericordiam tuam :
according to Your great mercy;

Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum,
And in accordance with Your abundant compassion,

dele iniquitatem meam.
blot out my iniquity.

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

et a peccato meo munda me.
And cleanse me from my sin.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco
For I am well aware of my iniquity,

et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
And my sin is always before me.

Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci
Against You, and You alone, have I sinned,

ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum iudicaris.
that You may be justified when You speak, and blameless when You judge.

Ecce, enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum
Behold, I was born in iniquity,

et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
And in sin did my mother conceive me.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti
Surely You desire truth in the inner parts,

incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam
Make me hear joy and gladness,

et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
That the bones which You have broken may rejoice.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis
Hide Your face from my sins,

et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
And blot out all my iniquities.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus
Create in me a clean heart, O God,

et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Ne proiicias me a facie tua
Do not cast me away from Your presence,

et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

et spiritu principali confirma me.
And uphold me with a willing spirit.

Docebo iniquos vias tuas
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

et impii ad te convertentur.
And sinners will be turned back to You.

Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, God of my salvation,

et exsultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam.
And my tongue will sing aloud of Your righteousness.

Domine, labia mea aperies
O Lord, open my lips,

et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
And my mouth will declare Your praise.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique
For if You desired sacrifice, I would give it;

holocaustis non delectaberis.
You do not delight in burnt offerings.

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion,

ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem.
That the walls of Jerusalem may be built.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae,
Then You will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,

oblations, et holocausta
In burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.