Sepulto Domino

General information

No. 9 of the Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday

Settings by composers

• Carlo Gesualdo SSATBB
• Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki TTBB
• Jacob Handl SATB
• Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB

Original text and translations

Latin text

Sepulto Domino, signatum est monumentum,
Volventes lapidem ad ostium monumenti,
Ponentes milites qui custodirent illum.
Versus: Accedentes principes sacerdotum ad Pilatum, petierunt illum.
1st alternative versus
In pace factus est locus eius, et in Sion habitatio eius.
2nd alternative versus
Ne forte veniant discipuli eius, et furentur eum, et dicant plebi: surrexit ad mortuis.
Ponentes milites qui custodirent illum.

English translation

The Lord being buried, the tomb was sealed
By rolling a stone across the door,
And soldiers were placed to guard it.
Versus: The chief priests went to Pilate and petitioned him.
[For even he...]
1st alternative versus
In peace is his place, and his dwelling is in Sion.
2nd alternative versus
It may be that his disciples come and steal him away, and tell the people: he is risen from the dead.