21 April 2012

Wie lieblich sind doch deine Füß

Here is my translation of the hymn “Wie lieblich sind doch deine Füß” (G.W. Sacer, †1699), on Jesus’ paschal greeting of peace in Luke 24. The appointed melody is “Du Friedensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ.”


HOW LOVELY are Thy piercèd feet,
Thy mouth how tender now!
How comforting Thy sentence sweet,
My Ground of faith art Thou!
Good Messenger,
Death’s Conqueror
Of peace the true Restorer.

2. Now is the Most High’s Word fulfilled;
Now mind and sense, be glad!
Now is the Father’s vengeance stilled,
Now fear and doubting fade.
My Jesus, dead
In my own stead,
Hath paid for my transgression.

3. The peace of God doth reign in me
That doth all thoughts excel.
The door of heav’n I open see,
Away, ye hordes of hell!
Ye strike no fear,
My Savior here
Says peace with me abideth.

4. Whene’er the Law as thunder peals
When on mine ear the curse
From Moses’ written record steals,
My Lord doth them reverse;
Ye strike no fear,
My Savior here
Says peace with me abideth.

5. Whene’er the world aggrieves me sore,
As if to pierce my breast,
Beset beside, behind, before,
Then Jesus gives me rest.
They strikes no fear,
My Savior here
Says peace with me abideth.

6. When need and sorrow weigh on me,
When fickle friends disdain,
Yet I am quickened mightily,
His comfort doth remain
Need strikes no fear,
My Savior here
Says peace with me abideth.

7. When by my flesh I am disturbed,
My passions kindled high,
Its wicked will is quickly curbed,
If I to Jesus cry.
Flesh strikes no fear
My Savior here
Says peace with me abideth.

8. When fearsome death shall press with pow’r
And beckon: “Thou art mine”;
E’en then in life’s last anguished hour,
With Jesus I’ll recline.
Death strikes no fear,
My Savior here
Says peace with me abideth.

9. Thanks be to Thee, O Prince of Peace,
For this Thy good possessed,,
Which Thou wilt keep and yet increase.
My heart, in Thee at rest,
Though failing here
Will have no fear:
In peace I’ll be departing.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2012.

GERMAN
1. Wie lieblich sind doch deine Füß,
wie freundlich ist dein Mund,
wie tröstet mich dein Wort so süß,
O meines Glaubensgrund!
Du guter Bot,
Du Todestod,
Du Friedens-Wiederbringer.

2. Nun ist des Höchsten Wort erfüllt,
sei froh, mein ganzer Sinn!
Nun ist des Herrn Zorn gestillt,
nun ist das Zagen hin.
Mein Jesus hat
an meine Statt
die Sündenschuld gebüsset.

3. Der Friede Gottes herrscht in mir,
der über die Vernunft;
mir öffnet sich des HImmelstür.
Weg, weg, du Höllenzunft.
Du schreckst mich nicht;
mein Heiland spricht,
Mit mir soll sein der Friede.

4. Wenn des Gesetzes Donner knallt
und wenn mir in das Ohr
der Fluch aus Mosis Büchern schallt,
so schütz ich Jesum vor.
Du schreckst mich nicht;
mein Heiland spricht,
Mit mir soll sein der Friede.

5. Wenn mich die Welt erbärmlich plagt
und setzt mir heftig zu,
von einem Ort zum andern jagt,
so schafft mir Jesus Ruh.
Die Welt schreckt nicht,
mein Heiland spricht,
mit mir soll sein der Friede.

6. Wenn mich die Not und Trübsal drückt,
wenn mich mein Freund verstoßt,
werd ich doch kräftiglich erquickt,
mir bleibt des Herren Trost.
Die Not schreckt nicht;
mein Heiland spricht,
Mit mir soll sein der Friede.

7. Wenn mich mein Fleisch unruhig macht
und reizt den Lüstern Zahn,
wird doch sein Wille nicht vollbracht,
ruf ich nur Jesum an.
Das Fleisch schreckt nicht;
mein Heiland spricht,
Mit mir soll sein der Friede.

8. Wenn auf mich dringt der grimme Tod,
und rufet: Du bist mein;
so will auch in der Todesnot
mein Heiland bei mir sein.
Der Tod schreckt nicht;
mein Heiland spricht,
Mit mir soll sein der Friede.

9. Dank sei dir, O du Friedefürst,
für das erworbne Gut,
daß du mir wohl erhalten wirst;
in dir mein Herze ruht,
und wenn es bricht,
erschreck ich nicht,
ich fahre hin im Friede.

16 April 2012

Hodiernae festum lucis

Here is my translation of the Sequence hymn for the Feast of the Lance and Arms of Christ. While not expressly met in Reformation cantionals, the regional German feast was historically celebrated as a vespertine mass on the Friday after Quasi modo geniti, paying due honor to the Lord's passion recently commemorated in Holy Week and recognizing the instruments of the Lord's Passion by which He built His church. The tune is from another Sequence, Hodiernae Lux Diei. Here it is with harmony from the New Office Hymn-Book, except that one stanza of the music is missing (one might simply repeat a section, such as the 3rd, since stanzas 3 and 4 have a similar voice; or else re-introduce the 2nd between the 3rd and 4th). A common tune that may be substituted is Johann König's "Alles ist an Gottes Segen."


This incomplete sample in the Aachen Proser suggests a more florid version of the melody.



ON THIS FEAST of solemn splendor,
Praise to Christ our Life we render,
For the Lance of vict’ry blest,
Echoing strains of jubilation
At the spear that for salvation
Pierced our Prince and Savior’s breast.

2. (All mankind must make confession:
Thee we thrust with our transgression,
Bound in sin and mortal strife):
Worship Him who wrought redemption
And from punishment, exemption:
Winning man the cure of life.

3. Hail, triumphant Iron, driven
Through the breast of Life, that, riven,
Shows to heav’n the open Door.
Thou made wholesome in the flowing:
Wound us, blessed Spear, bestowing
Love for Him, thy harm who bore.

4. Blessed Nails, by which were budded
Flow’rets red that sweetly flooded
Jesus’ every piercèd limb:
Let our hearts with love be spilling
By your sting our flesh be stilling,
Fastening our faith on Him.

5. Naz’reth-born! we hail Thee, Jesus,
Thou wast wounded to release us
From sin’s mortal penalty,
Turn to us the Father’s favor,
That with all the blest for ever
We with glory crown’d may be.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2011–2012.

LATIN
1. Hodiernae festum lucis
Et sollemne vitae Ducis
pro victrici lancea:
decantemus laudes ei,
quem transfixit vice rei
haec salutis framea.

2. Omnis utriusque sexus
Te stringebat culpae nexus
et mortis angustia:
Psalle illi qui resolvit
culpam, poenam pro te solvit,
vitae dans remedia.

3. Ave ferrum triumphale,
Intrans pectus tu vitale
Coeli pandis ostia:
Fecundata tu cruore
Felix hasta nos amore
per te fixi saucia.

4. Florens cruor quem suderunt,
artus Christi quos foderunt
clavorum fixoria:
Fusa per te ac rigata
et per clavos solidata
Nostra sint praecordia.

5. Salve Iesu Nazarene,
tu pro nobis mortis poenae
Affectus iniuria:
Placa patrem maiestatis,
ut in aevum cum beatis
nos coronet gloria.