Jesu Dulcis Memoria
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Jesu Dulcis Memoria is a Christian hymn attributed, without certainty, to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. The name can refer either to the entire poem, which, depending on the manuscript, ranges from forty-two to fifty-three stanzas, or only the first part.
Three sections of it are used as hymns in the Liturgy of the Hours of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus: "Iesu dulcis memoria" (Vespers), "Iesu rex admirabilis" (Office of Readings), "Iesu decus angelicum" (Lauds).
Several English hymns sung today are based on translations of Jesu Dulcis Memoria. These include "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts" (1858 translation by Ray Palmer) and "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee" (1849 translation by Edward Caswall).
[edit] Opening stanzas
(See Thesaurus Precum Latinarum)
- Iesu, dulcis memoria,
- dans vera cordis gaudia:
- sed super mel et omnia
- eius dulcis praesentia.
- Nil canitur suavius,
- nil auditur jucundius,
- nil cogitatur dulcius,
- quam Iesus Dei Filius.
- Iesu, spes paenitentibus,
- quam pius es petentibus!
- quam bonus te quaerentibus!
- sed quid invenientibus?
- Nec lingua valet dicere,
- nec littera exprimere:
- expertus potest credere,
- quid sit Iesum diligere.
- Sis, Iesu, nostrum gaudium,
- qui es futurus praemium:
- sit nostra in te gloria,
- per cuncta semper saecula.
- Amen.
[edit] Music
The tune to which the hymn was sung can be heard at [Oremus Hymnal]. It has also been set to music by Tomás Luis de Victoria (disputed authorship), Estêvão de Brito (also disputed), [Johann Sebastian Bach], and others.
