Exultandi et laetandi tempus est

Here is my translation of the Easter Benedicamus trope “Exultandi et laetandi” (or more often “Exultemus et laetemur”), as given in H. Bonnus, Hymni et Sequentiae (1559), where it is appointed actually to be sung during Communion, perhaps because of the similarity to the paschal Communion which alludes to the same text. Briefest examination of the text shows that it is originally a Benedicamus hymn sung in place of or adjacent to the Benedicamus of the Mass (“Benedicamus Domino.” R. “Deo gratias.”), since it contains or refers to these words in the final verses. The melody here presented by Bonnus differs somewhat from the comparatively reduced Vatican edition (Liber Usualis pp. 1931 ff., where it begins with our verse 2: "Exsultemus et laetemur hodie"). It follows the Benedicamus tone (which is to say, deriving from Kyrie fons bonitatis for festivals) in mode III, but also the alternate tone in mode V, which in the Liber Usu. is termed "according to more common usage." Thus it combines both melodies, unifying them by transposing the ending back up to mode III.

’Tis the time for joy and gladness, for now Christ,
Our passover Lamb, for us is sacrificed.
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

2. Let us all rejoice this day, this day be glad,
For this day a day of gladness shall be had,
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

3. To the sepulchre the women early came,
Where they heard the angel answer and exclaim:
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

4. “Why seek ye the living here among the dead?”
He is risen as unto the Twelve He said.”
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

5. Therefore at the end of this festivity,
LET US BLESS THE LORD, His servants now set free.
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

6. Since He hath our liberty to us restored,
LET US all GIVE THANKS UNTO our GOD and Lord.
  Alleluia, Christ the Lord is ris’n again!

Translation © 2014 Matthew Carver.

LATIN
1. Exultandi et laetandi tempus est,
Pascha nostrum immolatus agnus est.
  Alleluia, Resurrexit Dominus.

2. Exultemus et laetemur hodie
Dies iste, dies est laeticiae. | Alleluia. Res.

3. Ad sepulchrum mulieres veniunt,
Responsum ab Angelo recipiunt. | Alleluia. Res.

4. In sepulchro quem dolentes queritis,
Surrexit sicut praedixit discipulis. | Alleluia. Res.

5. In hoc ergo jubilaei termino,
Servus liber benedicat Domino. | Alleluia. Res.

6. Cum sit ergo restituta libertas,
Omnes Deo referamus gratias. | Alleluia. Res.

Laß die Welt dies Leben lieben

When hymn-writer Chad L. Bird posted his latest hymn, "From the Mount of Our Lord's Glory," Rev. Armin Wenz noted in a comment a hymn by Sigismund von Birken. Here is my translation of the hymn "Laß die Welt dies Leben lieben" (S. von Birken). It was written for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (Transfiguration). The melody is "Steh doch, Seele, steh doch stille," of which I reproduce from Kümmerle the first version from Nürnberg.

LEAVE THIS world its life so treasured!

Here it is not good to stay;

Here abide but griefs unmeasured:

Sin, injustice, pain, decay;

Long to live on earth is merely

Long to suffer, sore and dearly.

2. God, it is not so in heaven!

There on high ’tis good to be!

There the shades of sin are riven,

Routed there all misery;

There Thy glory shines unfailing,

Where the Sun of joy is dwelling!

3. Let me see that life delighftul!

Let me set my dwelling soon

Far from cities faint and frightful

In Thy country star-bestrewn

Let me be from sorrow lifted,

With that higher station gifted!

4. Here in Moses’ tent of meeting

Mid the worldly wilderness,

Men in sweat their bread are eating,

All Thy holy Law transgress;

Here the cursèd ground convicts him

And with choking thorn afflicts him.

5. In this life of sin and sadness,

In this soldier’s camp I stay,

Bound by foes who in their madness

Ever call us to the fray,

What is here but wars repeating,

Triumphs tenuous and fleeting?

6. Such a triumph to be claiming,

To Elijah’s tent I flee,

Which by horse and chariot flaming

God preserves within His lee;

As I fight no foes confound me

With the angel escort round me.

7. Yet, O Jesus, heaven’s dwelling

Shall my highest pleasure be—

Home of peace, all peace excelling—

Triumph there to share with Thee!

There Thy hand a crown will give me:

Jesus, from the earth receive me!

Translation © 2014 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

1. Laß die Welt diß Leben lieben! / hier auf Erd ist nit gut seyn. / hier wohnt nichtes, als Betrüben, / Unrecht, Sünde, Noht und Pein. / Langes leben hier auf Erden, / heist nur, lang gequälet werden.
2. Nicht so, Gott in deinem Himmel! / in dem Himmel ist gut seyn: / da hört auf das Leidgewimmel; / da gibt ewig-hellen Schein / deine schöne FreudenSonne, / da wohnt wahre Lebenswonne.
3. Dieses Wohlseyn laß mich schauen. / laß mich in dem Sternenland / mir bald eine Hütte bauen, / tretten an den guten Stand: / daß ich in dem Freudenwesen / ewig möge Leids genesen.
4. Hier ich wohn in Mose Hütten, / in der Wüste dieser Welt. / Hier ach! muß es seyn gelitten, / weil man dein Gesetz nicht hält. / und es muß die Erde tragen / die Fluchdörnern, uns zuplagen.
5. Dieses Sünd- und Jammer-Leben, / dieses Kriegszelt, ieder Zeit / von den Feinden wird ümgeben, / die uns fordern in den Streit. / Was ist hier? Gefährlichs Kriegen, / und doch ungewißes Siegen.
6. Diesen Sieg davon zutragen, / flieh ich in Elias Zelt, / das durch Feuer-Roß und Wagen / Gott in seinem Schutze hält. / Sicher ich den feind bestreite, / in dem Englischen Geleite.
7. Doch so laß ich mir vor allen, / Jesu, dort dein HimmelZelt, / da der Friede wohnt, gefallen, / wo man mit dir Siegpracht hält. / da werd ich gekrönet werden. / Jesu, hol mich von der Erden!
Dreyen Jüngern auf dem Berg Jesus herrlich wird verkläret, / und: diß ist mein lieber Sohn! himmel-ab die Stimm gehöret.

Wir Menschen sind zu dem, o Gott!

Here is my first translation completed in the New Year: a hymn on the Scriptures: Wir Menschen sind zu dem, o Gott! by David Denicke (†1680). The proper melody is "Sei Lob und Ehr' dem höchsten Gut." Translations of single stanzas occur in the Moravian Hymn-Book, and a cento of 5 stanzas in American Lutheran Hymnal (#97).


1. We men, O God, have many a flaw,
The Spirit's things confound us:
Thy will, Thy ways, Thy holy law,
Dismay and sore astound us
We could not know nor grasp aright,
Did not Thy holy Word and Light
Show us the way to find Thee.

2. So didst Thou send us long ago
the Prophets, Thine attendants,
Thy holy will and laws to show
To Israel's descendants;
But in these latter days Thy Son,
O Father! is Himself come down
From heaven's throne to teach us.

3. Be praised for this salvation, Lord,
There let us be abiding,
Thy goodly Spirit us afford,
To keep us there confiding,
With meekness, rev'rence, love, and joy,
To hold, believe in, and employ
As God's, not man's, creation.

4. Let not the vile and scornful crowd
From Holy Scripture turn us,
For they and all their mocking proud
Will end in hell's hot furnace,
Give Thou Thy Word a thunder-blast
To lodge in us Thy doctrines fast
And dwell within us richly.

5. Unstop our ears and stubborn heart
To grasp the scriptures rightly,
In love or loss, in joy or smart
Let it not seem unsightly,
Nor let us only hearers prove,
But doers of the Word, that love
A hundredfold may flourish.

6. The scattered seed upon the way
Is by the devil taken:
In rocky soil the Word scarce may
A little root awaken.
The seed that falls among the thorn
By worldly cares away is borne,
Mid earthly joys to perish.

7. Oh, help us, Lord, resemble here
That fertile, good foundation,
In virtues rich, with godly fear
Fulfilling our vocation,
With patience plenteous fruit to bear,
And to preserve in hearts made fair
Thy teachings and Thy favors.

8. Let us abstain, while here we live,
From pathways of transgression,
And grant that we to Thee may cleave
In pain and tribulation:
Root out all thorns and choking tares,
Help us to curb our worldly cares
And snuff all wicked pleasures.

9. Thy Word, O Lord, let ever be
A lamp to light our going!
Sustain it pure and bright, that we
May profit in its glowing
With wisdom, strength, and help in need,
And neither life nor death may heed,
Unmoved therein confiding.

10. God, Father, for Thy glory spread
Abroad Thy Word and preaching;
O Jesus, grant us to be led
And lightened by Thy teaching:
O Holy Ghost, in Thine elect
Make this Thy Word Divine effect
Faith, hope, love, and forbearance.

Translation © 2009 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

1. Wir Menschen sind zu dem, o Gott!
was geistlich ist, untüchtig:
dein Wesen, Wille und Gebot,
ist viel zu hoch und wichtig;
Wir wissen'sund verstehen's nicht,
wo uns dein göttlich Wort und Licht
den Weg zu dir nicht weiset.

2. Drum sind vor Zeiten ausgesandt
Propheten, deine Knechte,
daß durch dieselben würd' bekannt
dein heil'ger Will' und Rechte;
zum letzten ist dein lieber Sohn,
o Vater! von des Himmels Thron
selbst kommen, uns zu lehren.

3. Für solches Heil sei, Herr! gepreis't,
laß uns dabei verbleiben,
und gib uns deinen guten Geist,
daß wir dem Worte gläuben,
dasselb' annehmen jederzeit
mit Sanftmuth, Ehre, Lieb' und Freud',
als Gottes, nicht der Menschen.

4. Hilf! das der losen Spötter Hauf'
uns nicht vom Wort abwende;
denn ihr Gespött, sammt ihnen drauf,
mit Schrecken nimmt ein Ende.
Gib du selbst deinem Donner[-]Kraft,
daß deine Lehre in uns haft',
auch reichlich in uns wohne.

5. Öffn' uns die Ohren und das Herz,
daß wir das Wort recht fassen,
in Lieb und Leid, in Freud und Schmerz
es aus der Acht nicht lassen,
daß wir nicht Hörer nur allein
des Wortes, sondern Thäter sein,
Frucht hundertfältig bringen.

6. Am Wege wird der Same fort
vom Teufel hingenommen:
in Fels und Steinen kann das Wort
die Wurzel nicht bekommen.
Der Sam', so in die Dornen fällt,
von Sorg' und Wollust dieser Welt
verdirbet und ersticket.

7. Ach hilf, Herr! daß wir werden gleich
allhier dem guten Lande,
und sein an guten werken Reich,
ins unserm Amt und Stande,
viel Früchte bringen in Geduld,
bewahren deine Lehr' und Huld
in feinem guten Herzen.

8. Laß uns, so lang wir leben hier,
den Weg der Sünder meiden;
gib, daß wir halten fest an dir
in Anfechtung und Leiden:
Rott' aus die Dornen allzumal,
hilf uns die Weltsorg' überall
und böse Lüste dämpfen.

9. Dein Wort, o Herr! laß allweg' sein
die Leuchte unsern Füßen,
erhalt es bei uns klar und rein:
hilf! daß wir draus genießen
Kraft, Rath und Trost in aller Noth,
daß wir im Leben und im Tod
beständig darauf trauen.

10. Gott Vater! laß zu deiner Ehr'
dein Wort sich weit ausbreiten;
hilf, Jesu! daß uns deine Lehr'
erleuchten mög' und leiten:
o heil'ger Geist! dein göttlich Wort
laß in uns wirken fort und fort:
Geduld, Lieb', Hoffnung, Glauben.

Dixit Dominus ex Basan

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Here is my translation for the Sequence "Dominus dixit ex Basan" (Godescalcus) for the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul (January 25), as it appears in Bonnus, Lossius (1579), Keuchenthal, Ludecus' Missale, and Magdeburg (1613). Each cantional had a slightly different version of the melody (though there are two main strains). I include the slightly simpler version found in Bonnus. I have normalized the syllabic lines of the text in certain places, usually according to the longer version, but the melody does not reflect this yet. Use the longer of the repeated melodic lines.

OUT of Bashan, saith the Lord, I will turn him,

And in the deepest sea convert him.

2a. And God kept His saying:

Saul prostrate laying,

Paul then to life He brought,

2b. By His Word incarnate

Did He perform it

Through Whom the world He wrought.

3a. For, Him defying,

Saul heard Him crying,

“Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”

3b. I am that Jesus

Thou persecutest:

To kick the goads is hard for thee!”

4a. At the presence of the Lord

Did the earth tremble

As if to crumble,

Soon yet it rested:

4b. Paul, to faith in God restored,

In true contrition

His fellow Christian

No more molested.

5a. This is the tongue of Thy faithful hounds

Out of hostile grounds

Back to Thee, God, returning,

5b. Since Paul makes all mouths of preachers bold

(Where Thy Word be told),

With Thy commands and learning,

6a. For Paul says: No other

Is Christ the Crucified

Than true God, who reigneth,

6b. One with God the Father

And the Holy Ghost,

As Paul’s word maintaineth.

7a. Houndlike, the tongues of preachers

Drinking deep of Paul their teacher,

Much in those millstones twain have ground—

Law that demandeth,

Gospel that granteth,—

7b. Making by use most heedful

All kinds of medicines needful

By which the wounded are bound

And those that hunger

Fed and made stronger.

8a. When the sea his doctrine saw,

It fled; at his rehearsing

The Jordan

Was driven back, reversing:

8b. For the Gentiles turned in awe

From depths of their transgression;

Confounding

Great Og, the King of Bashan.

9. Now Christ, they adore Thee

Over all creation,

Giving the God-Man all glory

Who came and brought salvation.

Translation © 2014 Matthew Carver.

LATIN

1. Dixit Dominus,

Ex Basan convertam,

convertam in profundum maris.

2. Quod dixit et fecit:

Saulum et stravit,

Paulum et statuit

Per Verbum suum
Incarnatum, per quod

fecit et saecula:

3. Quod dum impugnat,

audivit Saule, {Saulus}

Saule quid me persequeris? {perspexeris}

Ego sum Jesus;

durum est tibi,

ut recalcitres stimulo.

4. A facie, Domini,

mota est terra,

contremuitque,

moxque {mox et} quievit.

Dum cognito credidit

Domino Paulus,

persequi cessat

conchristianos.

5. Haec {Hi[n]c} lingua tuorum est canum,

ex inimicis

rediens ad te Deus.

Cum Paulus in ore omnium

secretorum {sacerdotum}

jura dat praeceptorum,

6. Docens crucifixum

non esse alium

praeter Christum Deum.

Cum Patre qui regnat

et Sancto Spiritu,

cujus testis Paulus,

7. Hi[n]c lingua sacerdotum

more canis dum perlinxit

legis et evangelii

duos molares

in his contrivit. {contritos}

Corrasit universas

species medicinarum,

quibus curantur saucii,

reficiuntur

enutriendi.

8. Quod docente Deum

mare vidit et fugit,

Jordanis

conversus est retrorsum.


Quia turba gentium

relicto {rediens} vitiorum

profundo,

Og rege Basan confuso,




9. Te solum adorat

Christe creatorem

Teque {Quem et } cognoscit in carne

venisse 
redemptorem.

Ach, Herr, mein Gott und höchster Hort

Here is my translation of the hymn "Ach, Herr, mein Gott und höchster Hort" (B. Waldis, 1553), a paraphrase of Psalm 5, Verba mea auribus. It is titled "A Prayer Against the False Teachers, and a Consolation upon God’s Word." The melody was composed specially by Waldis.

O LORD my God and Rock most high,

Receive my word and mark my cry;

  My pray’r I lay before Thee.

Thou art my God and Thou my King,

Thou only canst deliv’rance bring,

  For which I now implore Thee.

Thou lovest not the wicked way,

With Thee the sinner shall not stay,

  Ungodliness delights Thee not,

  Nor those who boast in what they wrought;

False teachers Thou shalt put to death,

And trample underfoot in wrath 

  All bloody men who scorn Thee.
 

2. I pray Thee, Lord, my soul defend
From their false doctrines that offend.
  Teach me Thine to be knowing,
That I Thy Word may closely hear
And come to Thee in fitting fear,
  With saints Thy praises showing.
Preserve me in the righteous way,
From what the enemy may say,

  From all their false, deceitful arts,
  Their lips that lie, their haughty hearts,
Their throats like open graves of death,
Their tongues that flatter without faith—
  Corrupt is all their doing.

3. Rebuke them, God, and let them fall
By these their wicked counsels all,
  And let them be confounded
Which, e’er rebellious, strive with Thee.
But let the godly joyful be,
  By Thy defense surrounded.
Let those Thou keepest joy in Thee,
And celebrate eternally.
  The perfect way Thou leadest them
  That love the glory of Thy name,
Thou wilt preserve them righteous e’er,
And as with shield and armor fair
  By grace bid them be crownèd.

4. For this, O Lord, we worship Thee,
And give Thee thanks eternally,
  Who madest earth and heaven,
And all their hosts, from on Thy throne,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;

  May we, who morn and even

Implore in faith obtain the same
At His command and in His name;
  In us Thy Spirit make it strong,
  That we may trust Him all life long
With heart and mind, by heavn’ly grace;
And in our need and death’s distress
  Thine ev’ry good be given.

Translation © 2013–2014 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Ach Herr, mein Gott und höchster Hort,

Merk auf mein Red, vernimm mein Wort,

dann ich will für dir beten.

Du bist mein König und mein Gott,

Ich ruf zu dir beid früh und spat,

du kannst mich wohl erretten.

Du bist kein Gott dem Böses liebt,

bist gram dem der in Sünd sich übt,

kein gottlos Wesen dir gefällt,

alls was sich rühmt und prächtig stellt,

die falsche Lehre bringst du um,

die blutdürstigen in deim Grimm

wirst du all untertreten.

2. Darum bitt ich, Behüt mich, Herr,

vor ihr schädlichen falschen Lehr,

und wöllst mich unterweisen,

daß deinem Wort mein Seel gehorcht,

und dich anbett in rechter Forcht,

mit den Frummen zu preisen,

auf rechtem Weg mich, Herr, beschutz,

vor falscher Lehr, der Feinde Trutz,

nicht gwisses ist in ihrem Mund,

sie sind von Herzen ungesund,

ihr Rachen ist ein offnes Grab,

ihr Zung hinket am Heuchelstab,

ist falsch in all ihrn Reisen.

3. Straf sie, O Gott, und laß sie falln

von ihrm bösen Vornehmen alln,

daß sie werden verhöhnet,

die dir allzeit entgegen sein,

daß sich freuen die Frummen dein,

daß ihr stets werd verschonet,

die du beschirmest, rühmen sich,

sind in dir fröhlich ewiglich,

all die deins namens Ehr lieb han,

führst du allzeit auf rechter Bahn,

die grechten du erhalten willt,

werden gleich wie mit Helm und Schild,

durch Gnad von dir gekrönet.

¶ Dafür wir, Herr, auch preisen dich,

danken deim Namen ewiglich,

der du all himmlisch Heere

geschaffen hast in deinem Tron,

durch Jesum Christum deinen Sohn,

in ihm uns auch gewähre,

was wir bitten im Glauben rein,

auf sein Befehl im Namen sein,

solchs stärk in uns deins Geistes Güt,

daß wir mit Herzensinn und Gmüt

uns im Vertrauen ganz und gar,

in aller Not und Todesfahr

alls Gut mit Gnad beschere.