Tarquinio Merula – Hor ch'è tempo di dormire | Arwen Myers & John Lenti

"Hor ch'è tempo di dormire" (Canzonetta spirituale sopra la nanna) by Tarquinio Merula, performed by soprano Arwen Myers & John Lenti on Baroque guitar. Footage courtesy of WFIY & Indianapolis EMF. Recorded live at the Indianapolis Early Music Festival. Translation: Now it is time to slumber, Sleep, my son, and do not cry, For the time will come for weeping. Oh my love, oh my sweet, Sing ninna ninna na. Close those heavenly eyes, As other children do, For soon the sky will be veiled in darkness. Oh my love, oh my sweet ... Drink this milk at my immaculate breast, For the cruel minister Is preparing vinegar and gall for you. Oh my love, oh my sweet ... Now sleep, my love, on this soft breast, Before aloud commending your soul to your Father on the cross. Oh my love, oh my sweet ... Now rest these fine limbs, So charming, so delicate, For irons and chains Will inflict on them harsh pains. Oh my love, oh my sweet ... These hands, these feet That we now contemplate with pleasure and joy Will, alas, be pierced by sharp nails. This pretty face, ruddier than a rose, Will be sullied by spit and cuffs, With torture and great suffering. Oh, with what pain, only hope of my heart, Will this head and this hair Be pierced by sharp thorns. Oh, to think that in this heavenly breast, My sweet, my precious, Treacherous, villainous spears Will cause mortal wounds. So sleep, my son, So sleep, my Saviour, For then, with joyful countenances, We shall meet again in Paradise. Now you are sleeping, my life, Joy of my heart, Let all be hushed with pure devotion, Let heaven and earth fall silent. And, meanwhile, what shall I do? I shall watch o’er my love And remain with bowed head So long as my child sleeps.