Te Lucis Ante Terminum

Te Lucis Ante Terminum was commissioned for the Choir & Organ New Music Series 2023, in partnership with the Choir of King’s College London and supported by PRS for Music.
It sets the following text in Latin:

Te Lucis Ante Terminum


Te lucis ante terminum, Rerum
Creator, poscimus, Ut pro tua
clementia,
Sis praesul et custodia.
Procul recedant somnia,
Et noctium phantasmata:
Hostemque nostrum comprime,
Ne polluantur corpora.
Praesta, Pater piissime,
Patrique compar Unice, Cum
Spiritu Paraclito, Regnans per
omne saeculum.
Amen.


English translation


Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray, that
with thy wonted favour thou wouldst
be our guard and keeper now.
From all ill dreams defend our eyes,
from nightly fears and fantasies;
tread under foot our ghostly foe,
that no pollution we may know.
O Father, that we ask be done,
through Jesus Christ thine only Son,
who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
doth live and reign eternally.
Amen.
(Tr. John Mason Neale)