Who is this fair one? (Watts, set by R. Vaughan Williams) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Who is this fair one in distress,
That travels from the wilderness,
And press'd with sorrows and with sins,
On her beloved Lord she leans?

This is the spouse of Christ our God,
Bought with the treasures of his blood,
And her request and her complaint
Is but the voice of ev'ry saint:

"O let my name engraven stand
Both on Thy heart and on Thy hand;
Seal me upon Thine arm and wear
That pledge of love for ever there.

Stronger than death Thy love is known
Which floods of wrath could never drown,
And hell and earth in vain combine
To quench a fire so much divine.

But I am jealous of my heart,
Lest it should once from Thee depart;
Then let my name be well impress'd
As a fair signet on Thy breast.

Till Thou has brought me to Thy home,
Where fears and doubts can never come,
Thy countenance let me often see,
And often shalt Thou hear from me:

Come, my beloved, haste away,
Cut short the hours of Thy delay,
Fly like a youthful hart or roe
Over the hills where spices blow."

Input by Hayden Muhl

Authorship

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Four Hymns for tenor, viola and piano

Date added to the website: 2005-08-06.

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