Thou knowest Lord

Set by Henry Purcell (1658/9 - 1695), "Thou knowest Lord", Z. 58  [sung text checked 1 time]

Note: this setting is made up of several separate texts.


Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts;
shut not thy merciful ears unto our [pray'r]1;
But spare us, Lord most holy,
O God most mighty,
O holy and most merciful Saviour,
Thou most worthy Judge eternal,
Suffer us not at our last hour
for any pains [of death to fall from Thee.
Amen]2.

Authorship

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

  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Elena María Accinelli) , "Tú conoces, Señor", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Purcell Z. 58: "pray'rs"
2 omitted by Purcell in Z. 58.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Man that is born of a woman hath but
A short time to live, and is full of misery.
He cometh up, and is cut down like a flow'r;
He flee'th as it were a shadow, and ne'er
Continueth in one stay.

Authorship

Based on

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Elena María Accinelli) , "Hombre que naces de una mujer", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

In the midst of life we are in death: of whom
May we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord,
Who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, 
O Lord, most mighty, O holy and most
Merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter 
Pains of eternal death.

Authorship

See other settings of this text.

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Elena María Accinelli) , "La muerte está siempre presente", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]