Parce Mihi Domine
Jan Garbarek Lyrics


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Parce mihi Domine, nihil enim sunt dies mei.

Quid est homo, quia magnificas eum?

Aut quid apponis erga eum cor tuum? Visitas cum diluculo, et subito probas illum.

Usquequo non parcis michi, nec dimittas me, ut glutiam salivam meam? Peccavi.
Quid faciam tibi, o custos hominum? Quare posuisti me contrarium tibi, et factus sum michimet ipsi gravis?

Cur non tollis peccatum meum, et quare non aufers iniquitatem meam?

Ecce nunc in pulvere dormio; et si mane me quesieris, non subsistam.

Translation

Spare me, O Lord, for my days are nothing.

What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him?

Or why dost thou set thy heart upon him? Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.

How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle? I have sinned.

What shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee, and I am become burdensome to myself?

Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away mine iniquity?





Behold now, I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jan Garbarek's song "Parce Mihi Domine" express a feeling of despair and plea for mercy from a higher power. The songwriter approaches God with humility, acknowledging the insignificance of his days and questioning the reason for God's attention towards him as a mortal. The songwriter feels tested in the early morning, and begs for mercy and forgiveness, recognizing his own sins and shortcomings. He wonders why he is burdened with his own flaws and inequities, and why God has not yet removed them. The song ends with a sense of finality, as the writer acknowledges the inevitability of his own death, and his own powerlessness in the face of a higher power.


The interpretation of the song is largely rooted in Christian theology, with themes of sin, redemption, and the power of God prevalent throughout the lyrics. The language used in the song is formal, and the tone is melancholy, emphasizing the humility of the writer and his willingness to accept his own limitations. The song answers the ultimate question of what it means to be human, offering the idea that humans are but insignificant beings in the grand scheme of things, and their salvation lies in the mercy of God.


Line by Line Meaning

Spare me, O Lord, for my days are nothing.
Please show me mercy, Lord, because my days are insignificant.


What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him?
Why do you make man so important, compared to the grandeur of your creations?


Or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
Why do you bother to care for mankind when they are so minuscule in your sight?


Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
You test man every morning, challenging him with unexpected situations.


How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle? I have sinned.
Why won't you show me mercy and let me live, especially since I know I have sinned?


What shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee, and I am become burdensome to myself?
What can I do for you, the one who watches over all of humanity? Why have you made me your adversary and allowed me to cause my own troubles?


Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away mine iniquity?
Why won't you forgive me of my sins and remove the evilness in my soul?


Behold now, I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.
Once I die, I will become dust and if you look for me in the morning, I will no longer exist.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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