Absalon, fili mi

General Information

This is the complaint of King David when he receives the news of the death of his beloved son, Absalom. The story can be found in the second book of Samuel, chapter 18. The complaint itself is verse 33. From the 15th - 17th century this text was a quite popular text for composers to write a 'lamento'

Settings by composers

• Josquin des Prez version 1 of the text
• Heinrich Schütz version 2

See When David heard for settings of the equivalent text in English.
See David's lamentation for an alternative English setting.
See Lugebat David Absalon for a related Latin setting.

Text and translations

version 1 Latin text Absalon fili mi, quis det ut moriar pro te, Absalon? Non vivam ultra, sed descendam in infernum plorans. English translation Absalon my son, if only I had died instead of you, Absalon! I shall live no more, but go down to hell, weeping. Translation by Mick Swithinbank Dutch translation Absalom mijn zoon, was ik maar in jouw plaats gestorven, Absalom! Ik zal niet meer leven, maar afdalen naar het dodenrijk, huilend.

version 2 Latin text fili mi Absalom fili mi Absalom Quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te Absalom fili mi fili mi (Vulgate) English translation O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! Dutch translation Mijn zoon Absalom, mijn zoon, mijn zoon Absalom! Och, dat ik in uw plaats gestorven ware, Absalom, mijn zoon, mijn zoon! German translation Mein Sohn Absalom! Mein Sohn, mein Sohn Absalom! Wollte Gott, ich wäre für dich gestorben! O Absalom, mein Sohn, mein Sohn!

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