Nunc dimittis

Nunc Dimittis

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Nunc dimittis

The Nunc dimittis (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a canticle

Canticle

A canticle is a hymn taken from the Bible. The term is often expanded to include ancient non-biblical hymns such as the Te Deum and certain psalms used liturgy....
from a text in the second chapter of Luke

Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke is a Synoptic Gospels, and is the third and longest of the four Biblical canonical Gospels of the New Testament. The text narrates the life of Jesus of Nazareth....
(Luke 2:29–32) named after its first words in Latin.

Simeon

Simeon the Righteous

Simeon the Righteous is the "just and devout" man of Jerusalem who, according to , met the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they entered the Temple of Jerusalem to fulfill the Pidyon HaBen on the fortieth day from Jesus' birth....
was a devout Jew

Jew

A Jew is a member of the Jewish people, an ethnoreligious group that traces its ancestry to the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East....
who, according to the book of Luke, had been promised by the Holy Ghost

Holy Spirit

In Christianity, the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the spirit of God. The term Christ , is also used to refer to this presence. That is, the Spirit is considered to act in concert with and share an essential nature with God the Father and God the Son ....
that he would not die until he had seen the Saviour.

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Folio 63r the Presentation in the Temple

The Nunc dimittis (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a canticle

Canticle

Gospel of Luke

Simeon the Righteous

Jew

Holy Spirit

Saint Joseph

Joseph "of the House of David" is known from the New Testament as the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus and although according to Christian tradition he was not the biological father of Jesus, he acted as his foster-father and as head of the Holy Family....
brought the baby Jesus

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth , also known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure of Christianity and is revered by most Christian churches as the Son of God and the Incarnation ....
to the Temple in Jerusalem

Temple in Jerusalem

The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to a series of structures located on the Temple Mount in the old city of Jerusalem. Historically, two temples were built at this location, and a The Third Temple features in Jewish eschatology....
for the ceremony of consecration of the firstborn son

Pidyon HaBen

Pidyon HaBen, , is a ritual in Judaism whereby a firstborn son is redeemed by a Kohen in order to release him from his obligation to serve in the Temple in Jerusalem....
(not the circumcision, but rather after the time of Mary's purification: at least 40 days after the birth), Simeon was there, and he took Jesus into his arms and uttered words rendered variously as follows.

Versions

Original Greek (Novum Testamentum Graece

Novum Testamentum Graece

Novum Testamentum Graece is the Latin name of the Greek language version of the New Testament. The first printed edition was produced by Erasmus....
):

??? ap???e?? t?? d????? s??, ??sp?ta, ?at? t? ??µa s?? e? e?????,

?t? e?d?? ?? ?f?a?µ?? µ?? t? s?t????? s??,

? ?t??µasa? ?at? p??s?p?? p??t?? t?? ?a??,

f?? e?? ap???????? e???? ?a? d??a? ?a?? s?? ?s?a??.

Latin (Vulgate

Vulgate

The Vulgate is an early Fifth Century version of the Bible in Latin, and largely the result of the labors of Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to make a revision of Vetus Latina....
):

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.

English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
(Douay-Rheims, 1582):

Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace;

Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:

A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

English (Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI of England, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with Roman Catholic Church....
, 1662):

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.

English (New International Version

New International Version

The New International Version is an English language translation of the Christianity Bible. Published by Zondervan, it became one of the most popular modern translations made in the twentieth century....
, 1973):

Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace according to your word.

For my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared before the face of all people,

a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.

English (Liturgy of the Hours

Liturgy of the hours

The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the Clergy#Christian_clergy, Christian monasticism, and laity....
, 1974)

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;

Your word has been fulfilled.

My eyes have seen the salvation

You have prepared in the sight of every people,

A light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people, Israel.

Liturgy and Musical settings

The Nunc Dimittis is the traditional 'Gospel Canticle' of Night Prayer (Compline

Compline

Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day....
), just as Benedictus and Magnificat are the traditional Gospel Canticles of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer respectively. Hence the Nunc Dimittis is found in the liturgical night office of many western denominations, including 'Compline (A Late Evening Service)' in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 1928, the Roman Catholic

Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
'Compline' service, the Lutheran service of 'Compline (also known as Night Praye or Prayer at the Close of Day)', and the Anglican

Anglicanism

Anglicanism is a tradition of Christianity faith. Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs, worship and church structures....
'Night Prayer' service in Common Worship. In eastern tradition the canticle is found in Eastern Orthodox

Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
Vespers

Vespers

Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican, and Lutheran Liturgy of the canonical hours....
. One of the most well-known settings in England is a plainchant theme of Thomas Tallis

Thomas Tallis

Thomas Tallis was an English composer. Tallis flourished as a church musician in Tudor period. He occupies a primary place in anthologies of English church music, and is considered among the best of its earliest composers....
.

Many composers have set the text to music, usually coupled with the Magnificat

Magnificat

The Magnificat is a canticle frequently sung liturgy in Christian church services. The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke where it is spoken by the Virgin Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth....
, as both the Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis are sung (or said) during the Anglican service of Evening Prayer

Evening Prayer (Anglican)

Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening. It is also commonly known as Evensong, especially when the office is rendered choir ....
according to the Book of Common Prayer, 1662, in which the older offices of Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Compline (Night Prayer) were deliberately merged into one service, with both Gospel Canticles employed.

Literary settings

In conclusion to section two (The Queen of Air and Darkness), chapter six of T. H. White

T. H. White

Terence Hanbury White was an England author best known for his sequence of King Arthur novels, The Once and Future King, first published together in 1958....
's The Once and Future King
The Once and Future King

The Once and Future King is an Arthurian fantasy novel written by T. H. White. It was first published in 1958 and is mostly a composite of earlier works....
, the wise necromancer Merlyn recites the first few passages of the Nunc Dimittis in response to King Arthur

King Arthur

King Arthur is a legendary Britons leader who, according to medieval histories and Romance , led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century....
's declaration of chivalry. Establishing a code in which those who enter his league of chivalry must swear an oath to use their might only for the purpose of good, Arthur has fulfilled Merlyn's expectations as a pupil and thus Merlyn is released from voluntary servitude as Arthur's mentor and tutor. Reciting the nunc dimittis determines the fact that Merlyn has instructed his pupil successfully and could be no more proud of his judgment and character in relation to his establishment of the code of chivalry.

The account has been rendered powerfully in poetic form by T. S. Eliot

T. S. Eliot

'Thomas Stearns Eliot', Order of Merit , was a poet, dramatist, and literary critic. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948. Among his most famous writings are the poems The Love Song of J....
in A Song for Simeon

"...Before the stations of the mountain of desolation,

Before the certain hour of maternal sorrow,

Now at this birth season of decease,

Let the Infant, the still unspeaking and unspoken Word,

Grant Israel's consolation

To one who has eighty years and no to-morrow..."

The Nunc Dimittis was recited by the character of Alquist to close Karel Capek

Karel Capek

Dr. 'Karel Capek' was one of the most influential Czech language writers of the 20th century. He introduced and made popular the frequently used international word robot, which first appeared in his play R.U.R....
's play R.U.R.. Portions were recited in Latin in the "Fiat Lux" section of Walter Miller

Walter Miller

Walter Miller may refer to:* Walter B. Miller , American anthropologist* Walter Dale Miller , American politician* Walter Miller , American middleweight wrestling champion...
's A Canticle for Liebowitz.