(To the choir-master. A psalm. Of David,

Unto the end, a psalm of David,

when the prophet Nathan came to reproach him for his adultery with Bethsabee.)

When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had sinned with Bethsabee. (2 Kings 12.)

cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee. (II Regum 12.)

Have mercy on me, O God, as thou art ever rich in mercy; in the abundance of thy compassion, blot out the record of my misdeeds.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.

Wash me clean, cleaner yet, from my guilt, purge me of my sin,

Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea, et a peccato meo munda me.

the guilt which I freely acknowledge, the sin which is never lost to my sight.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco, et peccatum meum contra me est semper.

Thee only my sins have offended; it is thy will I have disobeyed; thy sentence was deserved, and still when thou givest award thou hast right on thy side.

To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci; ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.

For indeed, I was born in sin; guilt was with me already when my mother conceived me.

For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.

But thou art a lover of faithfulness, and now, deep in my heart, thy wisdom has instructed me.

For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti; incerta et occulta sapientiæ tuæ manifestasti mihi.

Sprinkle me with a wand of hyssop, and I shall be clean; washed, I shall be whiter than snow;

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor; lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.

tidings send me of good news and rejoicing, and the body that lies in the dust shall thrill with pride.

To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et lætitiam, et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.

Turn thy eyes away from my sins, blot out the record of my guilt;

Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis, et omnes iniquitates meas dele.

my God, bring a clean heart to birth within me; breathe new life, true life, into my being.

Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.

Do not banish me from thy presence, do not take thy holy spirit away from me;

Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Ne projicias me a facie tua, et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.

give me back the comfort of thy saving power, and strengthen me in generous resolve.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

Redde mihi lætitiam salutaris tui, et spiritu principali confirma me.

So will I teach the wicked to follow thy paths; sinners shall come back to thy obedience.

I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

Docebo iniquos vias tuas, et impii ad te convertentur.

My God, my divine Deliverer, save me from the guilt of bloodshed! This tongue shall boast of thy mercies;

Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meæ, et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.

O Lord, thou wilt open my lips, and my mouth shall tell of thy praise.

O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.

Thou hast no mind for sacrifice, burnt-offerings, if I brought them, thou wouldst refuse;

For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique; holocaustis non delectaberis.

here, O God, is my sacrifice, a broken spirit; a heart that is humbled and contrite thou, O God, wilt never disdain.

A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus; cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.

Lord, in thy great love send prosperity to Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may rise again.

Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion, ut ædificentur muri Jerusalem.

Then indeed thou wilt take pleasure in solemn sacrifice, in gift and burnt-offering; then indeed bullocks will be laid upon thy altar.

Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiæ, oblationes et holocausta; tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.