Day of Wrath! Upon that day, the world will melt away, according to David and the Sibyl!
What trembling is to come, when the Judge appears, to judge all strictly.
The trumpet, casting a wondrous sound through the tombs of all nations, compels all before the Throne.
Death and Nature shall be astounded, when creation rises again to respond to its judge.
The book shall be brought forth, in which all is written, whence the world will be judged.
So when the Judge shall sit, all that has been hidden shall be brought to light, and no wrong shall remain unpunished.
What then can I in my weakness say? What patron shall I call upon, when even the righteous will be in jeopardy?
King of awesome majesty, who saves the chosen for free, save me, O fountain of piety.
Remember, sweet Jesus, that I am the cause of your journey; let me not be lost in that day.
Seeking me, you sat exhausted; you redeemed me by suffering on the Cross; such work should not be in vain.
Just judge of vengeance, grant me the gift of forgiveness before the day of reckoning.
I sigh, like a guilty person; my sin reddens my face; spare your supplicant, O God.
You who forgave Mary (Magdalene), and heard the plea of the thief (Dismas), have also given me some hope.
My prayers are unworthy; but you, the Good, show me favour, lest I be burnt up in eternal fire.
Prepare me a place among the sheep, and keep me from the goats, standing at your right hand.
When you have confounded the accursed ones, and cast them into harsh flames, call me among the blessed ones.
I pray humbly on my knees, my contrite heart like ashes, take care of me at the end.
That day will be full of tears, when from the grave, guilty mankind rises to be judged.
Wherefore, have mercy upon me, O God; sweet Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest. Amen.
The inspiration of the hymn seems to have come from the Vulgate translation of Zephaniah I:15-16:
The hymn, set to a sombre Gregorian chant, was a part of the Roman Catholic Requiem service, the Mass for the dead. It also forms part of the liturgy of All Souls Day. The words have been set to music by many composers, usually as part of a requiem, of whom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi, and Hector Berlioz's versions are the most frequently performed.
The traditional Gregorian chant melody associated with the dies irae has also been quoted in a number of classical pieces, among them Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and several pieces by Sergei Rachmaninov, including Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
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