The Tallis Scholars sing Arvo Pärt's 'Nunc Dimittis'

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The Tallis Scholars, direction: Peter Philips; Arvo Pärt's "Nunc Dimittis" (2001)

The Nunc dimittis (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke (Luke 2:29-32), often used as the final song in a religious service. According to the book of Luke, Simeon was a devout Jew who had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he would not die until he had seen the Saviour. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the ceremony of consecration of the firstborn son, Simeon was there, and he took Jesus into his arms and uttered these words:

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.

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.

Nun lässt du, Herr, deinen Knecht,
wie du gesagt hast, in Frieden scheiden.
Denn meine Augen haben das Heil gesehen,
das du vor allen Völkern bereitet hast,
ein Licht, das die Heiden erleuchtet,
und Herrlichkeit für dein Volk Israel.

Painting: Giovanni Bellini (around 1460 in Venice): Jesus, Mary and Simeon