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
Absalon fili mi, {{Translation|English| Absalon my son, if only I had died instead of you, Absalon! I shall live no more, but go down to hell, weeping.
Absalom mijn zoon, |
fili mi Absalom fili mi Absalom O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Mijn zoon Absalom, mijn zoon, mijn zoon Absalom! Mein Sohn Absalom! Mein Sohn, mein Sohn Absalom! |
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