Jesu Rex Admirabilis - Palestrina Plus Plainchant

Latin Mass Homeschool Family

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