Catholic Chant
Keeping the Faith through Music
Jesu, Dulcis Memoria


Latin English
1. Jesu, dulcis memoria,
Dans vera cordis gaudia:
Sed super mel et omnia
Ejus dulcis praesentia.

2. Nil canitur suavius,
Nil auditur jucundius,
Nil cogitatur dulcius,
Quam Jesus Dei Filius.

3. Jesu, spes paenitentibus,
Quam pius es petentibus!
Quam bonus te quaerentibus!
Sed quid invenientibus?

4. Nec lingua valet dicere,
Nec littera exprimere:
Expertus potest credere,
Quid sit Jesum diligere.

5. Sis, Jesu, nostrum gaudium,
Qui es futurus praemium
Sit nostra in te gloria,
Per cuncta semper saecula.
Amen.		 1. Jesus, the very thought of Thee,
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far Thy Face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

2. Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Saviour of mankind!

3. O Hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art,
How good to those who seek.

4. My tongue and words cannot express,
Their usefulness is low
But having felt is to believe,
sweet Jesus' love to know.

5. Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize wilt be;
O Jesus, be our glory now
And through eternity.
Amen.
Media
JesuDulcis_audio
Season: All
Use: General hymn for Mass, processions, or private prayer.

Jesu, Dulcis Memoria expresses hope in our eternal union with our Lord and Savior, and accomplishes this in the most endearing terms.  The song extols Jesus as our future prize (futurus praemium), recognizing that our lot here on earth is to see as "through a glass darkly" (1 Cor. 13:12).  Our hope is to know even as we are known, while our task at hand is to take up our cross and follow Him.  Quam bonus te quaerentibus, sed quid invenientibus?