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O vos omnes is a responsory, originally sung as part of Roman Catholic liturgies for Holy Week, and now often sung as a motet. The text is adapted from the Latin Vulgate translation of Lamentations 1:12. It was often set, especially in the sixteenth century, as part of the Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday. Some of the most famous settings of the text are by:
- Tomás Luis de Victoria (two settings for four voices: 1572 and 1585)
- Carlo Gesualdo (five voices: 1603; six voices: 1611)
- Pablo Casals (mixed choir: 1932)
Text
O vos ómnes qui transítis per víam, atténdite et vidéte:
- Si est dólor símilis sícut dólor méus.
V. Atténdite, univérsi pópuli, et vidéte dolórem méum.
- Si est dólor símilis sícut dólor méus.
Translation
O all you who walk by on the road, pay attention and see:
- if there be any sorrow like my sorrow.
V. Pay attention, all people, and look at my sorrow:
- if there be any sorrow like my sorrow.