The Nunc dimittis[1] (/nʊŋkdɪˈmɪtɪs/), also known as the Song of Simeon or the Canticle of Simeon, is a canticle taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 29 through 32. Its Latin name comes from its incipit, the opening words, of the Vulgate translation of the passage, meaning "Now you let depart".[2] Since the 4th century it has been used in services of evening worship such as Compline, Vespers, and Evensong.[3]
Simeon's Song of Praise by Aert de Gelder, around 1700–1710
The title is formed from the opening words in the Latin Vulgate, “Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine" ("Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord"). Although brief, the canticle abounds in Old Testament allusions. For example, "Because my eyes have seen thy salvation" alludes to Isaiah 52:10.[4]
Nyn apolyeis ton doulon sou, despota, kata to rhēma sou en eirēnē. Hoti eidon hoi ophthalmoi mou to sōtērion sou, ho hētoimasas kata prosōpon pantōn tōn laōn. Phōs eis apokalypsin ethnōn kai doxan laou sou Israēl.
Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel.
The King James Version (1611) contains the same text as the Book of Common Prayer, except for the last line (Luke 2:32), which simply reads "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."
Ны́не отпуща́еши раба́ Твоего́, Влады́ко, по глаго́лу Твоему́ с ми́ром; я́ко ви́деста о́чи мои́ спасе́ние Твое́, е́же еси́ угото́вал пред лице́м всех люде́й, свет во открове́ние язы́ков, и сла́ву люде́й Твои́х Изра́иля.
Commentary
Friedrich Justus Knecht draws the conclusion from this passage, that "belief in Jesus Christ drives away all fear of death." He writes:
Simeon now rejoiced at the prospect of death. Such a sensation was hitherto unknown in Israel. “Pious Israelites closed their eyes in death, weary of life and submissive to God’s will; not altogether hopeless, but full of horror of the future. Death was a thing to be feared, and each new day of life which was granted was looked on as a gain” (Grimm). But all at once every thing was changed. Holy Simeon had seen the Saviour, and was now ready to die joyfully. In fact, he did die very soon after; a pious tradition even goes so far as to say that he died before he left the Temple. He was thus the first to take the joyful news to Limbo that the Saviour was born and the day of salvation at hand.[6]
Roger Baxter reflects on this passage in his Meditations, saying: "Oh that you would also bid farewell to all earthly things, and say with the Apostle, 'But I am straitened — having a desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.' (Phil. 1:23.)"[7]
The Nunc Dimittis is the traditional 'Gospel Canticle' of Night Prayer (Compline), just as Benedictus and Magnificat are the traditional Gospel Canticles of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer respectively.[4] Hence the Nunc Dimittis is found in the liturgical night office of many western denominations, including AnglicanEvensong in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, Compline (A Late Evening Service) in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, and the Night Prayer service in the Common Worship, as well as both the Catholic and Lutheran service of Compline. In eastern tradition the canticle is found in Eastern OrthodoxVespers. One of the most well-known settings in England is a plainchant theme of Thomas Tallis.
In many Lutheran orders of service the Nunc Dimittis may be sung following the reception of the Eucharist.[8][9] A 1530 rhymed version by Johannes Anglicus [de], "Im Frieden dein, o Herre mein", with a melody by Wolfgang Dachstein, was written in Strasbourg for that purpose.[10]
Many composers have set the text to music, usually coupled in the Anglican church with the Magnificat, as both the Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis are sung (or said) during the Anglican service of Evening Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer, 1662, in which the older offices of Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Compline (Night Prayer) were deliberately merged into one service, with both Gospel Canticles employed. In Common Worship, it is listed among "Canticles for Use at Funeral and Memorial Services"[11] Herbert Howells composed 20 settings of it, including Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Gloucester) (1947) and Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for St Paul's Cathedral (1951). A setting of the Nunc dimittis by Charles Villiers Stanford was sung at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher as the recessional.[12] Stanford wrote many settings of both the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis.[13] Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote a setting of the Slavonic Nunc dimittis text, Ны́не отпуща́еши (Nyne otpushchayeshi), as the fifth movement of his All-Night Vigil. It is known for its final measures, in which the basses sing a descending scale ending on the B♭ below the bass clef.[14] A setting by the British composer Geoffrey Burgon featured during the end credits of episodes in the 1979 television adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV series).
Literary settings
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Marquis de Lafayette (17 May 1816), Joseph Cabell (31 January 1821), and General Andrew Jackson (18 December 1823)
^Marti, Andreas (2011). "222 Im Frieden dein, oh Herre mein". In Herbst, Wolfgang; Alpermann, Ilsabe (eds.). Liederkunde zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch (in German). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. pp. 8–13. ISBN978-3-64-750302-8.
^. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017.
^"Margaret Thatcher: the funeral Order of Service". Telegraph. 17 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12.
^Nunc dimittis, sung by the choir of King's College, Cambridge 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine (1 Nov 2014)
^Warrack, John (2013-01-09). "Rachmaninov Vespers". www.gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
^Brands, H. W. (2003). The Strange Death of American Liberalism. Yale University Press. ISBN978-0-300-09824-2.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nunc dimittis.
nunc, dimittis, other, uses, disambiguation, also, known, song, simeon, canticle, simeon, canticle, taken, from, second, chapter, gospel, luke, verses, through, latin, name, comes, from, incipit, opening, words, vulgate, translation, passage, meaning, depart, . For other uses see Nunc dimittis disambiguation The Nunc dimittis 1 n ʊ ŋ k d ɪ ˈ m ɪ t ɪ s also known as the Song of Simeon or the Canticle of Simeon is a canticle taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke verses 29 through 32 Its Latin name comes from its incipit the opening words of the Vulgate translation of the passage meaning Now you let depart 2 Since the 4th century it has been used in services of evening worship such as Compline Vespers and Evensong 3 Simeon s Song of Praise by Aert de Gelder around 1700 1710 Contents 1 Biblical account 2 Versions 3 Commentary 4 Liturgy and musical settings 5 Literary settings 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksBiblical account EditThe title is formed from the opening words in the Latin Vulgate Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine Now thou dost dismiss thy servant O Lord Although brief the canticle abounds in Old Testament allusions For example Because my eyes have seen thy salvation alludes to Isaiah 52 10 4 According to the narrative in Luke 2 25 32 Simeon was a devout Jew who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the ceremony of redemption of the firstborn son after the time of Mary s purification at least 40 days after the birth and thus distinct from the circumcision Simeon was there and he took Jesus into his arms and uttered words rendered variously as follows Versions Edit The start of the Nunc dimittis in the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry German translation on a tombstone The Nunc dimittis passage in the original Koine Greek nῦn ἀpolyeis tὸn doῦlon soy despota katὰ tὸ ῥῆma soy ἐn eἰrhnῃ ὅti eἶdon oἱ ὀf8almoi moy tὸ swthrion soy ὃ ἡtoimasas katὰ proswpon pantwn tῶn laῶn fῶs eἰs apokalypsin ἐ8nῶn kaὶ do3an laoῦ soy Ἰsrahl Transliterated Nyn apolyeis ton doulon sou despota kata to rhema sou en eirene Hoti eidon hoi ophthalmoi mou to sōterion sou ho hetoimasas kata prosōpon pantōn tōn laōn Phōs eis apokalypsin ethnōn kai doxan laou sou Israel Latin Vulgate Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine secundum verbum tuum in pace Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum Lumen ad revelationem gentium et gloriam plebis tuae Israel English Translation of the Vulgate Now thou dost dismiss thy servant O Lord according to thy word in peace Because my eyes have seen thy salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples A light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel English Book of Common Prayer 1662 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel English Roman Breviary Now Master you let your servant go in peace You have fulfilled your promise My own eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness the glory of your people Israel The King James Version 1611 contains the same text as the Book of Common Prayer except for the last line Luke 2 32 which simply reads A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Church Slavonic in Slavonic 5 Ny ne otpusha eshi raba Tvoego Vlady ko po glago lu Tvoemu s mi rom ya ko vi desta o chi moi spase nie Tvoe e zhe esi ugoto val pred lice m vseh lyude j svet vo otkrove nie yazy kov i sla vu lyude j Tvoi h Izra ilya Commentary EditFriedrich Justus Knecht draws the conclusion from this passage that belief in Jesus Christ drives away all fear of death He writes Simeon now rejoiced at the prospect of death Such a sensation was hitherto unknown in Israel Pious Israelites closed their eyes in death weary of life and submissive to God s will not altogether hopeless but full of horror of the future Death was a thing to be feared and each new day of life which was granted was looked on as a gain Grimm But all at once every thing was changed Holy Simeon had seen the Saviour and was now ready to die joyfully In fact he did die very soon after a pious tradition even goes so far as to say that he died before he left the Temple He was thus the first to take the joyful news to Limbo that the Saviour was born and the day of salvation at hand 6 Roger Baxter reflects on this passage in his Meditations saying Oh that you would also bid farewell to all earthly things and say with the Apostle But I am straitened having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil 1 23 7 Liturgy and musical settings Edit Stained glass window in St Alban s Anglican Church in Copenhagen Denmark depicting the Nunc dimittis scene The Nunc Dimittis is the traditional Gospel Canticle of Night Prayer Compline just as Benedictus and Magnificat are the traditional Gospel Canticles of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer respectively 4 Hence the Nunc Dimittis is found in the liturgical night office of many western denominations including Anglican Evensong in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer Compline A Late Evening Service in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the Night Prayer service in the Common Worship as well as both the Catholic and Lutheran service of Compline In eastern tradition the canticle is found in Eastern Orthodox Vespers One of the most well known settings in England is a plainchant theme of Thomas Tallis Heinrich Schutz wrote at least two settings one in Musikalische Exequien 1636 the other in Symphoniae sacrae II 1647 The feast day Mariae Reinigung was observed in the Lutheran Church at J S Bach s time He composed several cantatas for the occasion including Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin BWV 125 a chorale cantata on Martin Luther s paraphrase of the canticle and Ich habe genug BWV 82 In many Lutheran orders of service the Nunc Dimittis may be sung following the reception of the Eucharist 8 9 A 1530 rhymed version by Johannes Anglicus de Im Frieden dein o Herre mein with a melody by Wolfgang Dachstein was written in Strasbourg for that purpose 10 Many composers have set the text to music usually coupled in the Anglican church with the Magnificat as both the Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis are sung or said during the Anglican service of Evening Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer 1662 in which the older offices of Vespers Evening Prayer and Compline Night Prayer were deliberately merged into one service with both Gospel Canticles employed In Common Worship it is listed among Canticles for Use at Funeral and Memorial Services 11 Herbert Howells composed 20 settings of it including Magnificat and Nunc dimittis Gloucester 1947 and Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for St Paul s Cathedral 1951 A setting of the Nunc dimittis by Charles Villiers Stanford was sung at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher as the recessional 12 Stanford wrote many settings of both the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis 13 Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote a setting of the Slavonic Nunc dimittis text Ny ne otpusha eshi Nyne otpushchayeshi as the fifth movement of his All Night Vigil It is known for its final measures in which the basses sing a descending scale ending on the B below the bass clef 14 A setting by the British composer Geoffrey Burgon featured during the end credits of episodes in the 1979 television adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy TV series Literary settings EditThomas Jefferson Letter to Marquis de Lafayette 17 May 1816 Joseph Cabell 31 January 1821 and General Andrew Jackson 18 December 1823 T H White novel The Once and Future King recitation by Merlyn T S Eliot poem A Song for Simeon 1928 Joseph Brodsky poem Nunc Dimittis 1972 Ezra Pound poem Cantico del Sole 1918 Karel Capek play R U R Roald Dahl short story Nunc Dimittis 1953 1979 Tanith Lee story Nunc Dimittis 1984 1986 Walter Miller A Canticle for Leibowitz John le Carre novel A Murder of Quality John le Carre novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy closing theme of TV adaptation John le Carre novel The Constant Gardener sung at the funeral of Tessa Quayle H W Brands novel The Strange Death of American Liberalism 15 David Mitchell novel Cloud Atlas Pacific journal of Adam Ewing part 1 Edith Pargeter novel writing as Ellis Peters in the 6th and 15th volumes of The Cadfael Chronicles The Virgin in the Ice and The Confession of Brother HaluinSee also Edit Christianity portalOur Lady of Sorrows Seven Sorrows of MaryReferences Edit Machen Minnie Gresham 1903 The Bible in Browning With Particular Reference to The Ring and the Book Macmillan p 157 Nunc dimittis Collins Dictionary Nunc Dimittis Encyclopedia Britannica a b Herbermann Charles ed 1911 Nunc Dimittis Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 11 New York Robert Appleton Company Sluzhebnik Moscow Synodal Press 1896 Friedrich Justus Knecht 1910 VII The Presentation in the Temple A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture B Herder Baxter Roger 1823 Simeon s Prophecy Meditations For Every Day In The Year New York Benziger Brothers The Lutheran Service Book Concordia Publishing House 2005 Evangelical Lutheran Worship Augsburg Fortress 2006 Marti Andreas 2011 222 Im Frieden dein oh Herre mein In Herbst Wolfgang Alpermann Ilsabe eds Liederkunde zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch in German Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht pp 8 13 ISBN 978 3 64 750302 8 The Church of England Common Worship Canticles for Use at Funeral and Memorial Services Archived from the original on 29 September 2017 Margaret Thatcher the funeral Order of Service Telegraph 17 April 2013 Archived from the original on 2022 01 12 Nunc dimittis sung by the choir of King s College Cambridge Archived 2014 11 29 at the Wayback Machine 1 Nov 2014 Warrack John 2013 01 09 Rachmaninov Vespers www gramophone co uk Retrieved 2018 05 28 Brands H W 2003 The Strange Death of American Liberalism Yale University Press ISBN 978 0 300 09824 2 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nunc dimittis List of available settings at Choral Public Domain Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nunc dimittis amp oldid 1130615770, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
