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Musica di Camera

Song Cycle by William Richard Bexfield (1824 - 1853)

?. A spirit pass'd before me  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
A spirit pass'd before me: I beheld 
The face of immortality unveil'd -- 
Deep sleep came down on every eye save mine -- 
And there it stood, -- all formless -- but divine; 
Along my bones the creeping flesh did quake; 
And as my damp hair stiffen'd, thus it spake: 

'Is man more just that God? Is man more pure 
Than he who deems even Seraphs insecure? 
Creatures of clay -- vain dwellers in the dust! 
The moth survives you, and are ye more just? 
Things of day! you wither ere the night, 
Heedless and blind to Wisdom's wasted light!'

Text Authorship:

  • by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "A spirit pass'd before me", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 28, first published 1815 [an adaptation]

Based on:

  • a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Job 4
    • Go to the text page.

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Un esprit a passé devant moi", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 28

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 95
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