Amazing Grace – English Lyrics

• By: Il Divo
• Album: The Promise

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the profound beauty of "Amazing Grace" as interpreted by Il Divo. This classical crossover rendition offers a magnificent way to engage with English, as its timeless lyrics explore themes of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and divine mercy. Il Divo's operatic delivery adds a unique depth and emotional resonance, making it a compelling listen for those wishing to appreciate the power of the English language in a deeply moving musical context. You can learn rich vocabulary related to faith and personal transformation, and experience how English lyrics can evoke powerful universal emotions.

[English]

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils, and snares

I have already come

'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home

When we've been here ten thousand years

Bright, shining as the sun

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we first begun

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind but now I see

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
grace /ɡreɪs/ B2	noun - courteous goodwill verb - to do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence
sweet /swiːt/ A2	adjective - having a pleasant taste or smell
sound /saʊnd/ A1	noun - something that can be heard
saved /seɪvd/ B1	verb - to rescue or protect from harm or danger
wretch /retʃ/ C1	noun - an unfortunate or unhappy person
lost /lɒst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; no longer possessed
found /faʊnd/ A2	verb - to discover unexpectedly or while looking for something else
blind /blaɪnd/ B1	adjective - unable to see
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system
fear /fɪər/ A2	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, pain, or threat
precious /ˈpreʃəs/ B2	adjective - of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly
believed /bɪˈliːvd/ A2	verb - to accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of
dangers /ˈdeɪndʒərz/ B2	noun - the state of being exposed to harm or risk
toils /tɔɪlz/ C1	noun - laborious effort; hard work verb - work extremely hard or incessantly
snares /sneərz/ C1	noun - a trap for catching birds or animals, typically one having a noose of wire or cord
bright /braɪt/ B2	adjective - giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining
shining /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/ B1	adjective - emitting or reflecting light
praise /preɪz/ B2	noun - the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something verb - express warm approval or admiration of

Key Grammar Structures

• That saved a wretch like me!

  ➔ Relative Clause (Reduced)

  ➔ The relative pronoun ("that") introduces a clause describing "a wretch". While not strictly *reduced* in this simple sentence, it highlights how relative clauses function to add information. A fully expanded version could be: "That saved a wretch *who is* like me!".

• I once was lost, but now I'm found

  ➔ Past Simple Passive Voice ('was lost', 'I'm found')

  ➔ "I was lost" implies someone/something *caused* me to be lost, even if the agent is not specified. "I'm found" implies that I am no longer lost, and someone/something has enabled this. While 'am' is present tense, in this context it expresses a current state resulting from a past action. Note the juxtaposition of the past (lost) and present (found) state.

• When we've been here ten thousand years

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous in a 'when' clause (Future time reference)

  ➔ The phrase "When we've been here ten thousand years" uses the present perfect continuous ("have/has been + -ing") to describe an action (being here) that *will* continue up to a certain point in the future (ten thousand years from now). Although using 'when', the timeframe being described is still in the future. The effect is to emphasize the duration and continuity of their existence.

• Was blind but now I see

  ➔ Juxtaposition/Contrast (Past vs. Present)

  ➔ This simple statement relies on the strong contrast between the past state ("blind") and the present state ("see"). The "but" emphasizes this change. It's a powerful example of concise language conveying significant meaning.