Offertorium by Benjamin Britten Lyrics

[BOYS]
Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae
Libera animas omnium fidelium
Defunctorum de poenis inferni
Et de profundo lacu:
Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas
Tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum

[Chorus]
Sed signifer sanctus Michael
Repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam:
Quam olim Abrahae promisisti
Et semini ejus

[TENOR AND BARITONE]
So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went
And took the fire with him, and a knife
And as they sojourned both of them together
Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father
Behold the preparations, fire and iron
But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps
And builded parapets and trenched there
And streched forth the knife to slay his son
When lo! and angel called him out of heaven
Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad
Neither do anything to him. Behold
A ram, caught in a thicket by its horns;
Offer the Ram of Pride instead of him
But the old man would not so
But slew his son, -
And half the seed of Europe, one by one
{BOYS]
Hostias et preced tibi Domine
Laudis offerimus; tu suscipe pro
Animabus illis, quarum hodie
Memoriam facimus: fac eas, Domine
De morte transire ad vitam
Quam olim Abrahae promisisti
En semini ejus

[Chorus]
Quam olim Abrahae promisisti
Et semini ejus