Translation of the song RV 638 Filiae Mestae Jerusalem artist Antonio Vivaldi

I. 'Filiae maestae Jerusalem' (Adagio)

I. Mournful daughters of Jerusalem (Adagio)

Filiae maestae Jerusalem,

Mournful daughters of Jerusalem,

en Rex universorum,

behold the King of all,

Rex vester vulneratus

your King wounded

et spinis coronatus;

and crowned with thorns;

ut maculas detergat peccatorum

to clear the stains of sin

factus est Rex dolorum.

he was made the King of sorrows.

Ecce moritur vita

Behold he loses his life

in durissima cruce;

On the harsh cross;

ecce videte et non eam

behold, see, and grieve not

sed nos potius lugete;

for the cross, but rather for us;

at nequis reprobare vestros fletus

let no one blame your tears,

immo lugeant vobiscum

no, let all irrational beings

omnia insensata, plorent

grieve with you

plorent cuncta creata.

and all creation mourn.

II. Sileant zephyri (Largo)

II.Let the winds be hushed (Largo)

Sileant zephyri

Let the winds be hushed,

rigeant prata,

let the fields freeze,

unda amata,

the flowers and leaves will not

frondes, flores non satientur.

be drenched with the water they love.

Mortuo flumine,

With the river dead

proprio lumine

even the moon and the sun

luna et sol etiam priventur.

will be deprived of their own light.

III. 'Sed tenebris diffusis' (Adagio)

III. But with shadows spread (Adagio)

Sed tenebris diffusis

But with shadows spread

obscuratus est sol,

the sun is darkened,

scinditur quoque velum,

and the veil is torn,

ipsa saxa franguntur

the very rocks are broken,

et cor nostrum non frangit vis doloris?

and does not the force of grief break our hearts?

At dum satis non possumus dolere

But while we cannot grieve enough,

tu nostri bone Jesu, miserere.

you, good Jesus, have mercy on us.

IV. Sileant zephyri (Largo)

IV. Let the winds be hushed (Largo)

Sileant zephyri

Let the winds be hushed,

rigeant prata,

let the fields freeze,

unda amata,

the flowers and leaves will not

frondes, flores non satientur.

be drenched with the water they love.

Mortuo flumine,

With the river dead

proprio lumine

even the moon and the sun

luna et sol etiam priventur.

will be deprived of their own light.