Jesu, dulcis memoria

Giles, Randall (b. 1950)

Voicing:
Mixed Choir → SATB

Accompaniment:
Unaccompanied

Function/Language(s):
Latin

Occasion:

Proper of Time → The Weeks in Ordinary Time → General Ordinary Time
Proper of Saints → The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day) (November 2)
Masses for the Dead

Publication Information:
Paraclete Press — PPM00213 (2002)

Text Information:
Reference: The Rosy Sequence, Attrib. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091–1153); transl. Edward Caswall (1814–1878)

Lyrics:

Jesu dulcis memoria,
Dans vera cordis gaudia,
Sed super mel et omnia,
Ejus dulcis praesentia.

Nil canitur suavimus.
Nil auditur jucundius,
Nil cogitatur dulcius
Quam Jesus, Dei Filius.

Jesu, spes paenitentibus,
Quam pius us pententibus!
Quam bonus te querentibus!
Sed quid invenientibus?

Nec lingua valet dicere,
Nec littera exprimere
Expertus postest credere,
Quid sit Jesum diligere.

Sis Jesum nostrum gaudium
Qui est futurus praemium,
Sit nostra in te gloria
per cunta semper saecula. Amen.

English translation:
Jesus, the very thought of thee,
With sweetness fills the joyful breast;
But sweeter than the honey comb
Thy face to see, in thee to rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory recall
A sweeter sound than Jesus’ name,
The Savior, lover of us all.

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy and treasure of the meek,
To those who fall how kind thou art,
How good to those who truly seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
No skill of tongue or pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but the ones who love him know.

Jesus, our only joy be thou,
As surely thou our prize wilt be;
In thee be all our glory now
And ever through eternity. Amen.

Submitted by: Brian Luckner Added: Mar 11, 2022 Last updated: Mar 11, 2022