Thursday Hymn - II

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Jesu Dulcis Memoria)

Text: Attr. to Bernard of Clairvaux, 12th c.; Engl. tr. Edward Caswell, 1849
Tune: ST. AGNES, John B. Dykes, 1866 (among several tunes)

Iesu, dulcis memoria,
dans vera cordis gaudia:
sed super mel et omnia
eius dulcis praesentia.

Nil canitur suavius,
nil auditur jucundius,
nil cogitatur dulcius,
quam Iesus Dei Filius.

Iesu, spes paenitentibus,
quam pius es petentibus!
quam bonus te quaerentibus!
sed quid invenientibus?

Nec lingua valet dicere,
nec littera exprimere:
expertus potest credere,
quid sit Iesum diligere.

Sis, Iesu, nostrum gaudium,
qui es futurus praemium:
per cuncta semper saecula.


English Translation:
Jesus, the very thought of thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than thy blest name,
O Savior of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but his loved ones know.

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Tthou our prize will be;
Jesus be thou our glory now,
And through eternity.