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Libera me

Set by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Libera me", op. 66 no. 6, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 6 [Sung Text]

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

Translations available : CAT 


Libera me, Domine, 
de morte aeterna 
in die illa tremenda,
quando cœli movendi sunt et terra;
dum veneris iudicare 
sæculum per ignem.

Tremens factus sum ego, 
et timeo, 
dum discussio venerit 
atque ventura ira.

Dies illa, dies iræ, 
calamitatis et miseriæ,
dies magna et amara valde.

 ... 

Text Authorship:

  • by Bible or other Sacred Texts , "Libera me"

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Lau Kanen) , "Verlos mij, Heer (Libera me)", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (David Wyatt) , "Deliver me, Lord, from death", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]



It seems that out of battle I escaped
Down some profound dull tunnel, long since scooped
Through granites which titanic wars had groined.
Yet also there encumbered sleepers groaned,
Too fast in thought or death to be bestirred.
Then, as I probed them, one sprang up, and stared
With piteous recognition in fixed eyes,
Lifting distressful hands as if to bless.
And no guns thumped, or down the flues made moan.
"Strange friend," I said, "here is no cause to mourn."
"None", said the other, "save the undone years,
The hopelessness. Whatever hope is yours,
Was my life also; I went hunting wild
After the wildest beauty in the world,
For by my glee might many men have laughed,
And of my weeping something had been left,
Which must die now. I mean the truth untold,
The pity of war, the pity war distilled.
Now men will go content with what we spoiled.
Or, discontent, boil boldly, and be spilled.
They will be swift with swiftness of the tigress,
None will break ranks, though nations trek from progress.
Miss we the march of this retreating world
Into vain citadels that are not walled.
Then, when much blood had clogged their chariot-wheels
I would go up and wash them from sweet wells,
Even from wells we sunk too deep for war,
Even from the sweetest wells that ever were.
I am the enemy you killed, my friend.
I knew you in this dark; for so you frowned
Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.
I parried; but my hands were loath and cold.
Let us sleep now..."

The text shown is a variant of another text. [ View differences ]
It is based on

  • a text in English by Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918), "Strange meeting", appears in Wheels, 1919: Fourth Cycle, first published 1919
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Libera me", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Dr. Anthony Krupp) (Clo Blanco) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]



In paradisum deducant te angeli,
in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres,
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem.
Chorus angelorum te suscipiat,
et com Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Requiescant in pace. 
Amen.

Text Authorship:

  • by Bible or other Sacred Texts , no title, antiphon from the traditional Latin liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church Requiem Mass

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Lau Kanen) , "Naar het paradijs", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]


Author(s): Bible or other Sacred Texts , [More than can fit here]
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