O bone Jesu, illumina oculos meos

General information

Based on Psalm 12(13):4-5, 30(31):6, 38(39):5.

Settings by composers

• Loyset Compère SATB (includes Variant 1)
• Ferdinand di Lasso SSATB
• Claudio Monteverdi SAT
• Robert Parsons AATBarBB (This text forms part of a larger setting).

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Juan de Anchieta — O bone Jesu

Text and translations

Latin text O bone Jesu! Illumina oculos meos, ne unquam obdormiam in morte, nequando dicat inimicus meus praevalui adversus eum. O Adonai! In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum; redemisti me, Domine, Deus veritatis. Variant 1 O Messias, locutus sum in lingua mea: notum fac mihi finem meum.

English translation O good Jesus! Illuminate my eyes, lest I sleep in death, lest my enemy say that I prevailed against him. O Lord! Into thy hands, Lord, do I commend my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, Lord, God of truth. Translation by St Ann choir Variant 1 O Messiah, I have spoken: Lord, let me know my end.

Spanish translation

(Ps. 12, 4-5; 30, 6; 38, 5)
¡Oh, buen Jesús! Ilumina mis ojos
para que nunca duerma en la muerte;
que no diga jamás mi enemigo: "He vencido frente a él".
¡Oh, Adonai! A tus manos, Señor, encomiendo mi espíritu.
Tú me redimiste, Señor, Dios de la Verdad.

Variante 1
¡Oh, Mesías! Hablé con mi lengua: hazme conocido mi final.
Translation by Alejandro Borrego Pérez