Te Jesu Christe / Ecco piegando (Claudio Monteverdi)

Ecco piegando le genocchie a terra
Riverente t’adoro.
E ti chieggio perdon ma non già vita.
Ecco li strali e l’arco
Ma non ferir già tu gli occhi o le mani
Colpevoli ministri d’innocente voler;
Ferisci il petto, ferisci questo mostro
di pietade e d’amor aspro nemico,
ferisci questo cor che ti fu crudo.
Eccoti il petto ignudo!

I proudly scorn'd thee, see, upon, the earth
With bended knee I do thee reverence.
Pardon I Crave from thee, but not my life ;
Behold my guilty arrows and my bow !
Wound not my hands or eyes; the guilty ministers
Of an unguilty will, but strike my breast ;
Slay here this monstrous enemy o£ pity.
This bitter foe to love, strike thro' this heart
To thee so cruel : See my naked breast !

Te, Jesu Christe, liberator meus,
reverenter adoro.
Vulneratus es, mihi ut des vitam
Clavi tibi foderunt pedes,
manus amabiles, feriere te
cuspide saeva teterrimi ministri,
impie ausi sunt, ferire pectus.
Sic mira pietate redimisti me, Christe,
Tua morte. Tu vero vulnera
cor meum durum telo amoris tui.

Jesus Christ, my redeemer,
I worship you with reverence.
You were wounded to give me life,
The nails pierced your feet
And your dear hands; the most loathsome minions
Had the audacity to strike you with a cruel spear,
To wound your breast.
Thus in your wondrous mercy you redeemed me, Christ,
By your death. Pierce my hard heart
With the true spear of your love.