Here is my translation of the repentance and forgiveness hymn, “Ein Gleichnis stellt uns dar” (Paul Henkel, d. 1825), in NEGB #98 for the Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity (Gospel: Matt. 18:28–35) with melody assignment “Nun danket alle Gott.” The Church Hymn Book (1816ff.) gives an adaptation in 8 stanzas of Long Meter, “When Man’s Account to Light Is Brought” (included below). As usual, the industrious Henkel also rhymes the odd lines here, which traditionally is not done with this meter.
As told by Christ our Savior,
Which unto us makes clear
That God in judgment ever
Doth keep a close account,
And showeth everyone
His sentence knows th’ amount
Of wrong we here have done.
2 When reckoning begins,
No more art thou dim-witted,
But seest the countless sins
Thou hast ’gainst God committed;
Ten thousand pounds by weight
Are all thy sins, and more.
Yea, sinner, ’tis so great
It should afflict thee sore.
3 When God pronounces doom
And curse on men ever,
They feel the judgment loom
And seek for grace and favor,
And cry out in distress,
For patience pleading yet,
And make God promises:
Lord, I will pay the debt.
4 But since no man could pay
The debt of his transgression,
God made Himself a way,
To clear our condemnation:
He looks on us in grace,
Since Jesus lived and died
For sinners, in our place,
And justice satisfied.
5 Thus was our ransom paid
From sin and retribution,
Since Christ atonement made
And brought us absolution,
Salvation, righteousness,
And balm in cross and woe;
We heaven now possess,
True blessedness shall know.
6 Before God let us live
Upon His grace depending,
Who bids us men forgive,
His gracious way commending:
If we will pardon not
Our neighbor heartily,
Sharp judgment is our lot
With all its penalty.
7 God grant us strength and pow’r,
A heav’nly life and vigor,
That we may every hour
Forgive with spirit eager
Our debtors what they’ve owed;
Then shall we ready be
Through grace and love of God
For yon eternity.
Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.
CHURCH HYMN BOOK
When man’s account to light is brought,
Each wicked deed, each word and thought;
When in his conscience such appear,
His mind is filled with dread and fear.
2 The soul that is convinced of sin,
Will feel a deep distress within;
Finds neither comfort, peace or rest,
But feels a hell within the breast.
3 The sins are numberless and great,
Then thousand talents is their weight;
The sinner sinks beneath the load,
In deep distress he cries to God.
4 Spare me, O righteous God, I pray!
Until this dreadful debt I pay;
I will exert what pow’r I have,
Do all I can, my soul to save.
5 But th’ efforts of [the] human race
Could never merit saving grace:
God laid a better, diff’rent plan
To save the fallen race of man.
6 He sent His own beloved Son,
Since none could save but He alone;
His death a full atonement made,
Thereby our awful debt was paid.
7 And thus redeemed and thus set free,
How highly thankful should we be:
Like Jesus, willing to forgive
All injuries we may receive.
8 We can’t expect to be forgiv’n,
Nor yet partake the joys of heav’n
Unless we act the Christian part,
Forgive all men with all our heart.
GERMAN
Ein Gleichnis stellt uns dar
im Bildnis der Geschichte,
dasselbe macht uns klar,
daß Gott in dem Gerichte,
genaue Rechnung hält
und zeiget jedermann,
daß er sein Urtheil fällt,
nachdem er hat gethan.
2 Wann sich die Rechnung findt,
dann wirst du erst einsehen,
wie viel, wie manche Sünd
du thust vor Gott begehen.
Wohl zehen tausend Pfund,
sind deine Sünden schwer,
wirds dir, o Sünder, kund,
so ängstet es dich sehr.
3 Wann Gott das Urtheil spricht,
den Sünder zu verfluchen,
so fühlt er das Gericht,
das macht ihn Gnade suchen;
dann schreit er in der Noth,
und flehet um Geduld,
verspricht dem lieben Gott:
Herr, ich bezahl die Schuld.
4 Weil kein Mensch aber könnt
die Sündenschuld bezahlen,
so schenket Gott die Sünd,
vergab die Strafe allen.
Er sieht uns gnädig an,
weil Jesus für uns starb,
und was er sonst gethan,
und uns die Gnad erwarb.
5 So wurden wir erlöst
von aller Straf der Sünden,
weil Christus sie gebüßt,
so läßt uns Gott auch finden:
Gerechtigkeit und Heil
und Trost in Kreuz und Leid,
gibt uns am Himmel THeil
der wahren Seligkeit.
6 Doch wollen wir vor Gott
in seiner Gnade leben,
so lehrt uns sein Gebot
auch andern zu vergeben,
wann wir dem Nächstne nicht
von Herzen gern verzeihn,
so bleibt uns das Gericht
mit aller Straf und Pein.
7 Gott schenk uns Stärk und Kraft,
er schenk uns Geist und Leben,
so wird in uns geschaft,
daß wir auch gern vergeben
dem Nächsten seine Schuld,
so werden wir bereit,
durch gottes Gnad und Huld
für jene Ewigkeit.
‡
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