{{Vs|1:4a}} Nigra sum sed formosa filiae Jerusalem
{{Vs|1:4a}} Nigra sum sed formosa filiae Jerusalem
''Ideo dilexit me Dominus et introduxit in cubiculum suum et dixit mihi:''
''Ideo dilexit me Dominus et introduxit in cubiculum suum et dixit mihi:''
Revision as of 07:02, 7 April 2015
Works with this title quote several different selections of words from the Song of Songs, (with additional text in italics), used in devotions for the Virgin Mary.
1:4a Nigra sum sed formosa filiae Jherusalem Ideo dilexit me rex et introduxit me in cubiculum suum.
Dutch translation
1:4a Ik ben zwart, maar bekoorlijk, dochters van Jeruzalem. Daarom heeft de koning me uitverkoren, en me in zijn kamer binnengeleid.
English translation
1:4a I am black but comely, daughters of Jerusalem, Therefore have I pleased the Lord and he hath brought me into his chamber.
Leoni's text
Latin text
1:4a Nigra sum sed formosa filiae Hierusalem, Ideo dilexit me rex, et introduxit me in cubiculum suum, et dixit mihi:
2:10b Surge, amica mea et veni,
2:14b Ostende mihi faciem tuam, sonet vox tua in auribus meis, vox enim tua dulcis, et facies tua decora.
English translation
1:4a I am black but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, therefore have I pleased the Lord, and he hath brought me into his chamber, and hath said unto me:
2:10b Arise my love, my fair one, and come away,
2:14b Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance comely.
Monteverdi's text
Latin text
1:4a Nigra sum sed formosa filiae Jerusalem Ideo dilexit me Dominus et introduxit in cubiculum suum et dixit mihi:
2:10b Surge amica mea et veni.
2:11 Jam hiems transiit, imber abiit et recessit,
2:12a Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra, tempus putationis advenit.
Dutch translation
1:4a Ik ben zwart, maar bekoorlijk, dochters van Jeruzalem, Daarom beviel ik de Heer, die me in zijn kamer binnenbracht en me zei:
2:10b 'Sta op, mijn geliefde, en kom,
2:11 Want de winter is voorbij, het regent niet langer,
2:12a De bloemen zijn verschenen op het veld, nu is het tijd om te snoeien.
English translation
1:4a I am dark-skinned but comely, daughters of Jerusalem, Therefore have I pleased the Lord and he has brought me into his chamber and said to me:
2:10b Arise my love and come.
2:11 For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone,
2:12a The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come.
French translation
1:4a Je suis noire mais je suis belle, filles de Jerusalem. Aussi le roi m'a-t-il aimée et conduite dans ses appartements, et il m'a dit:
2:10b « Lève-toi, mon amie, et viens.
2:11 L'hiver enfin s'en est allé, la pluie nous quitte et s'éloigne,
2:12a Les fleurs ont fait leur apparition sur la terre. Le temps de la taille est venu ».
Palestrina's text
Latin text
1:4 Nigra sum sed formosa filiae Jerusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar,
sicut pelles Salomonis.
1:5a Nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol. Filii matris meae pugnaverunt contra me, posuerunt me custodem in vineis.
Dutch translation
1:4 Ik ben zwart, maar bekoorlijk, dochters van Jeruzalem, zwart als de tenten van Kedar,
als het doek van Salomo's tenten.
1:5a Maar denk niet dat ik zwart ben, mijn huid werd verkleurd door de zon. De zonen van m'n moeder hebben tegen me gestreden, lieten me de wijngaarden bewaken.
English translation
1:4 I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Cedar,
like the curtains of Solomon.
1:5a Do not think that I am dark, for the sun has changed my colour. My mother's sons fought against me; they made me keeper of the vineyards.
Praetorius's text
Latin text
1:4a Nigra sum, sed formosa, o filiae Hierusalem;
1:5 nolite me considerare quod sum sub nigra quia me coloravit sol:
1:6 Indica mihi, quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas ubi cubes in meridie, ne vagari incipiam post greges sodalium tuorum.
English translation
1:4a Dark am I, yet lovely, daughters of Jerusalem,
1:5 Do not stare at me because I am dark, for the sun has altered my colour.
1:6 Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock and where you rest at midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions.
Victoria's text
In this setting the Biblical plural 'filiae' is replaced with the singular: this can also be found in some Gregorian-chant sources and is not a misprint. At the same time, it replaces a vocative with a nominative and designates the Virgin Mary herself as a daughter of Jerusalem.
Latin text
1:4a Nigra sum sed formosa filia Jerusalem Ideo dilexit me Dominus et introduxit me in cubiculum suum et dixit mihi:
2:10b surge amica mea... et veni.
2:11 Jam hiems transiit, imber abiit et recessit,
2:12a Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra, tempus putationis advenit.
Dutch translation
1:4a Ik ben zwart, maar bekoorlijk, dochter van Jeruzalem, Daarom heeft de Heer me uitverkoren en me in zijn kamer binnengeleid en hij sprak tot mij:
2:10b 'Sta op, mijn geliefde, en kom,
2:11 want de winter is voorbij, het regent niet langer,
2:12a de bloemen zijn verschenen op het veld, nu is de tijd gekomen om te snoeien.
English translation
1:4a I am a dark-skinned but comely daughter of Jerusalem, Therefore have I pleased the Lord and he has brought me into his chamber and said to me:
2:10b arise my love and come.
2:11 For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone,
2:12a The flowers have appeared in our land; the time of pruning is come.