Improperia/Crucem Tuam (The Reproaches)
Improperia and Crucem Tuam: The Good Friday Reproaches in Latin - 12.5 minutes long.
for SATB choir, tenor or baritone soloist, and organ. Hauntingly beautiful and powerful.
Popule meus, quid feci tibi?
Aut in quo contristavi te?
responde mihi.
Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti:
parasti Crucem Salvatori tuo.
Hagios o Theos.
Sanctus Deus.
Hagios Ischyros.
Santis fortis.
Hagios Athanatos, eleison himas.
Sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis.
Quia eduxi te per desertum quadraginta annis,
et manna cibavi te,
et introduxi te in terram satis bonam:
parasti Crucem Salvatori tuo.
Quid ultra debui facere tibi, et non feci?
Ego quidem plantavi te vineam meam speciosissimam:
et tu facta es mihi nimis amara:
aceto namque sitim meam potasti:
et lancea perforasti latus Salvatori tuo.
Ego propter te flagellavi Aegyptum cum primogenitis suis:
et tu me flagellatum tradidisti.
Ego te eduxi de Aegypto, demerso Pharone in mare Rubrum:
et tu me tradidisti principibus sacerdotum.
Ego ante te aperui mare:
et tu aperuisti lancea latus meum.
Ego ante te praeivi in columna nubis:
et tu me duxisti ad praetorium Pilati.
Ego te pavi manna in desertum:
et tu me cedisti alapis et flagellis.
Ego to potavi aqua salutis de petra:
et tu me potasti felle et aceto.
Ego propter te Chananeorum reges percussi:
et tu percussisti arundine caput meum.
Ego dedi tibi sceptrum regale:
et tu dedsti capiti meo spineam coronam.
Ego te exaltavi magna virtute:
et tu me suspendisti in patibulo crucis.
Crucem tuam adoramus Domine,
et sanctam resurrectionem tuam laudamus et glorificamus;
ecce enim propter lignum venit gaudium in universo mundo.
Deus misereatur nostri, et benedicat nobis:
Illuminet vultum tuum super nos, et misereatur nostri.
[Translation:
O my people,what have I done to you, how have I offended you?
Answer me.
I led you out of Egypt from slavery to freedom, but you have led your Savior, and
nailed Him to a cross.
Agios o Theos,
Holy God
Agios ischyros,
Holy and Mighty
Agios athanatos
Holy Immortal One
eleison imas.
Have mercy upon us.
For forty years in safety, I led you through the desert, I fed you with my manna,
I gave you your own land, but you have led your Savior, and nailed Him to a Cross.
O what more would you ask from me? I planted you, my vineyard, but sour grapes you
gave me, and vinegar to drink, and you have pierced your Savior and pierced Him
with a spear.
For you scourged your captors, their first born sons were taken, but you have
taken scourges and brought them down on Me.
From slavery to freedom I led you, drowned your captors. But I am taken captive
and handed to your priests.
Your path lay through the waters, I opened them before you, my side you have laid
open and bared it with a spear.
I led you, held securely, My fire and cloud before you, but you have led your
Savior, hands bound to Pilate's court.
I bore you up with manna, you bore me down and scourged me. I gave you saving
water, but you gave me soured wine.
The kings who reigned in Canaan, I struck way before you. But you have struck my
crowned head, and struck it with a reed.
I gave you a royal scepter but you gave me a thorn crown. I raised you up in
power, but you raised me on the Cross.
We adore Thy Cross, O Lord:
and we praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection:
for behold by the wood of the Cross joy has come into the whole world.
May God have mercy on us, and bless us:
may He cause the light of His countenance to shine upon us, and have mercy on us.]