Dies irae, dies illa
solvet saeclum in favilla:
teste David cum Sibylla.
 
Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus!
 
Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulcra regionum,
coget omnes ante thronum.
 
Mors stupebit et natura,
cum resurget creatura,
judicanti responsura.
 
Liber scriptus proferetur,
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus judicetur.
 
Judex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid latet apparebit:
nil inultum remanebit.
 
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
cum vix justus sit securus?
 
Rex tremendae majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me fons pietatis.
 
Recordare, Jesu pie,
quod sum causa tuae viae:
ne me perdas illa die.
 
Quaerens me, sedisti lassus:
redemisti Crucem passus:
tantus labor non sit cassus.
 
Juste judex ultionis,
donum fac remissionis
ante diem rationis.
 
Ingemisco, tamquam reus:
culpa rubet vultus meus:
supplicanti parce, Deus.
 
Qui Mariam absolvisti,
et latronem exaudisti,
mihi quoque spem dedisti.
 
Preces meae non sunt dignae:
sed tu bonus fac benigne,
ne perenni cremer igne.
 
Inter oves locum praesta,
et ab haedis me sequestra,
statuens in parte dextra.
 
Confutatis maledictis,
flammis acribus addictis:
voca me cum benedictis.
 
Oro supplex et acclinis,
cor contritum quasi cinis:
gere curam mei finis.
 
Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla
judicandus homo reus.
 
[Huic ergo parce, Deus:]1
[pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem. Amen.]2

B. Britten sets stanzas 1-4 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
B. Britten sets stanzas 5-8 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
B. Britten sets stanzas 9-10, 12-13, 15-17 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
B. Britten sets stanzas 1-2, 18-19 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
B. Britten sets stanza 19 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Britten: this line is omitted after the line "To break earth's sleep at all?"
² Britten: these lines are omitted before the lines "Move him, Move him into the sun", but appear at the last line of this movement.

Authorship

• by Bible or other Sacred Texts  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901), "Dies irae", first performed 1874 [ soli, chorus, orchestra ], in Messa da Requiem [sung text checked 1 time]

This text (or a part of it) is used in a work

• by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Dies irae", op. 66 no. 2, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 2
  • Go to the full setting text.
    
• by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Dies irae", op. 66 no. 2, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 2
  • Go to the full setting text.
    
• by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Dies irae", op. 66 no. 2, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 2
  • Go to the full setting text.
    
• by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Dies irae", op. 66 no. 2, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 2
  • Go to the full setting text.
    
• by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Dies irae", op. 66 no. 2, published 1961 [ soprano, tenor, baritone, satb chorus, boys' chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, organ ], from War Requiem, no. 2
  • Go to the full setting text.
    

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in Latin, adapted by Bible or other Sacred Texts [an adaptation] ; composed by Lili Boulanger.
  • Go to the text.
    
• Also set in Latin, adapted by Bible or other Sacred Texts [an adaptation] ; composed by John Rutter, CBE.
  • Go to the text.
    

Other 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) [singable] (Guido (Pieter Theodoor Jozef) Gezelle) , "Kwade dag (Dies irae)", appears in Kerkhof-blommen, first published 1858
• SPA Spanish (Español) (Miguel Antonio Caro) , "Dies irae de Tomás de Celano", appears in Traducciones poéticas, Bogotá, Librería Americana, calle XIV, n. 77, 79, first published 1889

Researcher for this text: Lau Kanen [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2014-06-22
Line count: 57
Word count: 210

Aquel día tremebundo
Deshará en pavesa el mundo:
 Cumpliráse cuanto avisa
 Con David la Profetisa.

¡Cómo el alma se amedrenta
Viendo al Juez que se presenta
A pedir estrecha cuenta!


Sonará por los desiertos
La trompeta de los muertos, 
Que ante el trono acuden yertos. 

A la Muerte y la Natura 
Pondrá espanto la criatura 
Que dejó la sepultura. 

Abriráse un libro, donde 
En los crímenes se ahonde 
De que el mundo infiel responde. 

Cuando el Juez esté sentado, 
No habrá ante él ningún pecado 
Defendido ni olvidado.

¿Qué dirá mi lengua muda? 
¿Quién habrá que allí me acuda, 
Si, aun el justo, mal se escuda?

Rey de inmenso poderío, 
Que haces gracia á tu albedrío, 
¡Salva, sálvame, Dios mío!

¡Buen Jesús! para juzgarme, 
Lo que hiciste por salvarme 
De rigores te desarme.

Sin descanso me has buscado;
Fuiste en cruz por mí clavado;
No malogres tu cuidado.

Justo Juez de la venganza,
Dáme, dáme confianza.
Aun no alzada la balanza.

Es de reo mi gemido;
De vergüenza enrojecido,
Otra vez perdón te pido.

Si á María tú absolviste,
Si al ladrón propicio oíste,
¡Ay! á mí también me asiste.

Meritorio no es mi ruego;
A tu gran piedad me entrego; 
No arda yo en eterno fuego.

Entre ovejas numerado,
De cabritos separado,
Dáme asiento al diestro lado. 

Condenados los malditos
A tormentos infinitos,
Ponme tú con los benditos.

Oro humilde hasta la muerte,
Polvo es ya mi pecho inerte;
Tú decide de mi suerte.

Aquel día lacrimoso. 
Reo el hombre temeroso 
 Se alzará del polvo frío;
 ¡Sálva, sálvame, Dios mío!
  Dáles, Jesús piadoso, 
  El eterno reposo.