William Byrd Quis est homo – Diverte a malo (1591)

Quis est homo qui vult vitam, diligit dies videre
bonos?
Prohibe linguam tuam a malo, et labia tua ne
loquantur dolum. 

Who is the man that desires life, and prizes length
of days that he may see good things?
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from
speaking guile.


Diverte a malo, et fac bonum: inquire pacem, et
persequere eam.
Oculi Domini super justos, et aures ejus ad
preces eorum.
Vultus autem Domini super facientes mala, ut
perdat de terra memoriam eorum.

Turn aside from evil, and do good: seek peace, and
pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and
his ears incline to their prayers.
But the face of the Lord is set against evil-doers, to
blot out all record of them from the earth.

Psalm 34: 12 – 16


Performance by:
Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlowe conducting [NML] (info)