Wohl dem der nit vom Weg abtritt

Here is my translation of the hymn "Wol dem er nit" (Burkhard Waldis, 1553), based on Psalm 1. Waldis' Psalter is somewhat of an anomaly among versified psalters in Lutherandom. While accepting a few such hymns after Luther's example, Lutherans tended to sing their psalmody according to adaptations of ancient church psalm tones, especially in larger cities, whereas versified or metric Psalters gained more popularity among the Reformed, generally speaking. Yet Waldis was a staunch Lutheran. Earlier, as a Franciscan monk, he was a mission to garner support against the Lutherans, or evangelical preachers, and was put in prison, and it was during this imprisonment he was converted to the evangelical faith. Years later, he was arrested again, this time by Roman Catholics. It was during this year and half imprisonment that he wrote his Psalter, including the melodies. A couple of the psalms are reworkings of those by his fellow, the Reformer of Riga, Andreas Knoepken.

Psalm. I. Beatus vir, qui non.

¶ An exhortation to God’s Word. Warns of false doctrine, with promise of fortune and salvation.

BLESSÈD ARE THEY who from the way
Stray not to godless factions.
Nor love to sit where men of wit
Revile God’s words and actions.
But well take heed and seek indeed
God’s Word to hold in honor
His Law to treat as right and meet
And day and night to ponder.

II. The same shall be like as a tree
Beside the waters growing,
No evil day or tempest may
Succeed in their undoing.
They fruit anew in season due
Their leaves turn not nor wither
But they shall see prosperity
With all the saints together.

III. But no delight shall those who fight
Against God’s Word be knowing.
They must but fall, nor stand at all,
As chaff in breezes blowing.
In judgment they shall have no stay,
Their doctrine no duration.
As lies, with haste they shall be chased
From God’s true congregation.

IV. At ev’ry hour the Lord hath pow’r,
As Judge, to rule and prove them;
His teachings true He’ll take from view,
From godless men remove them;
The godly heart He’ll let depart
From pain, and suffer never;
Th’ ungodly men must surely then
Be judged and perish ever.

V. To God on high eternally
And to His Son be praises,
Who freely hath saved us from wrath
And blessed us with His graces;
His Word hath riv’n the gate of heav’n,
That sinners may receive it;
His Spirit free grant it may be
As we in faith believe it!

Translation © 2013 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN (Burkhard Waldis, 1553)

Wohl dem der nit, vom Weg abtritt,
zu den gottlosen Rotten,
auch nit gern sitzt, da man sich spitzt,
Gotts Wort und Werk zu spotten;
sondern hat Acht, und darnach tracht,
wie er Gotts Wort mög lieben,
und sein Gesetz, in stets ergetz,
Tag, Nacht sich drinn zu leben.

II. Derselb ist gleich, in Gottes Reich
eim Baum an Wasserbächen,
denselben mag kein böser Tag,
noch Ungewitter schwächen,
Sein Frucht ergeit, zu rechter Zeit,
sein Blätter nicht verkummen,
Demgleichen soll, auch g'raten wohl,
All Rat und Tat der Frommen.

III. Abr nicht also, solln werden froh,
die Gotts Wort widerstreben,
sondern vergehn, und nit bestehn,
wie Spreur im Wind verwähen,
solln im Gericht, auch sitzen nicht,
ihr Lehr soll nit bekleiben,
wie Lügen-Tand, wird mans zuhand,
aus Gotts Gemein vertreiben.

IV. Dann der Herr ist zu aller Frist
auch Richter zwischen beiden,
die rechte Lehr wird er fürwahr,
von den Gottlosen scheiden,
der Frommen Herz, wird er vom Schmerz,
und allem Leid entbinden,
so muß der Böß und der Gottlos
vor ihm ewig verschwinden.

V. Gott in seim Thron, und seinen Sohn,
sollen wir ewig loben,
daß er uns hat mit seiner Gnad
so reichlich wollt begaben,
daß durch sein Wort die Himmel-Pfort
den Sündern jetzt steht offen,
welchs uns sein Geist mit Gnad geleist,
wie wirs im Glauben hoffen.