Nunc dimittis

The Presentation by Fra Angelico

Latin = now you are dismissing, the opening words of Simeon's song of praise on the occasion of the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple. After seeing Jesus, Simeon joyfully proclaims that he has seen God's salvation. Simeon had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die without seeing the Saviour.

It is often set to music coupled with the Magnificat, as both are sung during the evening service (see Evening Canticles). In the Roman rite, it also forms the Tract for Mass of the Presentation in the season after Septuagesima.

Musical settings at CPDL

See this category page for a list of all evening canticles on CPDL.

Anonymous (16th century) A. A. Archangelsky Clifford Boyd A. Herbert Brewer Peter Bird William Byrd Nunc dimittis (from the Short Service) Nunc dimittis (from Gradualia I) John Clarke-Whitfield Josquin Desprez Orlando Gibbons (from Short Service in A Flat) Alexander Gretchaninoff Pelham Humfrey (from Evening Service in E minor) John Kilpatrick Denis Mason Thomas Morley William Mundy Robert Parsons Nunc dimittis (from The First 'Excellent' Service) Nunc dimittis (from The Second 'Excellent' Service)

Henry Purcell (from Evening Service in G minor) Thomas Ravenscroft (OV Metrical Psalter) Heinrich Schütz Charles Villiers Stanford Nunc dimittis in G, Op. 81 Nunc dimittis in C, Op. 115 Thomas Tallis (from Short Evening Service) Thomas Tomkins (from Second Service) Tomás Luis de Victoria Thomas Weelkes Nunc dimittis (from Sixth Evening Service) Nunc dimittis (from Short Service) Samuel Sebastian Wesley Nunc dimittis (from "Chant Service in G) Nunc dimittis (from Evening Service in E) John Clarke-Whitfield Charles Wood (from five different Evening Service settings) (English)

Original texts and translations

Source: Luke 2:29-31; usually followed by the minor doxology Gloria Patri.

Latin text

Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace:

Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum

Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum:

Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto:

Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

English translation

The Book of Common Prayer, 1662:
(Most musical settings of the Evening Canticles in English will use this text, followed by the minor doxology, Gloria Patri.)

LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

English translation Old Version Metrical Psalter: O Lord my God because my heart hath longed earnestly My Lord and Saviour to behold and see before I die; The joy and health of all mankind desired long before; Who now is come into the world lost man for to restore. Then suffer, Lord, thy servant now in peace for to depart, According to thy holy word, which doth rejoice my heart; Because my eyes which thou hast made to give my body light, have now beheld thy saving health, which is the Lord of might. Whom thou hast mercifully set, of thy abundant grace, in open sight, and visible, before all people's face The Gentiles to illuminate, who do in darkness dwell, also to be the glory of thy people Israel.

English translation New Version Metrical Psalter: Lord, let thy servant now depart Into thy promis'd rest, Since my expecting eyes have been With thy salvation blest; Which till this time thy favour'd saints And prophets only knew; Long since prepar'd, but now set forth In all the people's view. A light to shew the heathen world The way to saving grace; But, O! the light and glory both Of Israel's chosen race. To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, The God whom we adore, Be glory ; as it was, is now, And shall be evermore.

German translation

Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren, wie du gesagt hast.

Denn meine Augen haben deinen Heiland gesehen,

welchen du bereitet hast vor allen Völkern,

ein Licht zu erleuchten die Heiden, und zum Preis deines Volk Israel.

Ehre sei dem Vater und dem Sohn und dem Heiligen Geist,

wie im Anfang, so auch jetzt und alle Zeit, und in Ewigkeit. Amen.

Chinese translation

Modern Chinese:

主啊！現在可照禰的話，放禰的僕人平安去了！

因為我親眼看見了禰的救援，

即禰在萬民之前早準備好的：

為作啟示異邦的光明，禰百姓以色列的榮耀。

光榮歸於父、及子、及聖神，

起初如何，今日亦然，直到永遠。亞孟。

Classical Chinese:

求我主宰，覆爾所示，

放爾僕人，安然謝世！

既見救恩，我心則慰，

念斯救恩，實爾所備；

普天生靈，咸仰其惠；

萬國之光，義塞之輝！

External links

• Wikipedia article