Here is my supplement to and revision of Jane Borthwick’s “Oh, sweetest words that Jesus could have sought,” a translation of the cross and comfort hymn, “O süsses Wort, das Jesus spricht” (Johann Höfel, d. 1683), in NEGB #92 for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (Gospel: Luke 7:11–17) in 10 stanzas of Long Meter with melody assignment “Nun ist es Zeit zu singen hell”; originally published in 11 stanzas in Musica Christiana (Schweinfurt, 1634), allegedly, which was edited by Höfel; later in Olearius’ Geistliche Singekunst (Leipzig, 1671). Stanza 8, with its unusual “Hunds-Bunds-Ketten” was revised or, more often omitted, as it was in Mühlenburg’s Erbauliche Liedersammlung, so also here in Henkel’s hymnal. — Miss Borthwick’s translation curiously, one might say, needlessly, extends the first two lines of each stanza by two syllables; hence my alteration of her text. In a couple instances (sts. 9–10), this process, and comparison with the German, entailed such drastic changes that the stanzas entire must be claimed as my own. Borthwick’s original work is included below, along with earlier, or at least inferior, variants of the text. — The Church Hymn Book (1816ff.) has on the same theme an English hymn in 6 stanzas of Long Meter: “O Blessed Word Our Lord Expressed,” which must, however, be seen as an original work not substantially derivative of our present hymn; though in its 4th stanza may be seen traces of our 9th.
OH, sweetest words that Jesus sought
To soothe the widow’s heart: “Weep not!”
They fall with comfort on my ear
When life is dark and trouble near.
2 They were not whispered, but aloud
The Savior spake them to the crowd,
That each might hear His heav’nly voice,
And in the widow’s joy rejoice1
3 Those words He spake in time of strife,
When death was waging war with life:
They shall refresh my soul at last,
And strengthen me till life is past.
4 If poverty obscures my lot,
Then doth my Savior say, “Weep not!”
To God the Father raise thine eye,
For still He hears the raven’s cry.
5 If I am pow’rless, sick, and weak,
And all is grim, yet He will speak
Those soothing words that here He sought:
“I’m thy Physician, so weep not!”
6 And if the foe take all I have,
And send me wand’ring with a staff;
Christ says again, “Weep not! Recall
What did my faithful Job befall.”
7 Should persecution’s ruthless hand
Grant me no dwelling in the land,
The voice of Jesus calms each thought:
“Heav’n is thy dwelling-place, weep not!”
8 Whene’er the wicked world offends,
And I have foes and cheating friends,
My Jesus says, “Weep not! Believe,
Thou shalt from dust no harm receive.”
9 When death my darling steals away,
“Weep not,” I hear my Jesus say,
“For I am He who gives again;
Remember what I did at Nain!”
10 When I must strive with death some day,
This Jesus in my throes shall say:
“I am thy Life, wherefore weep not!
My sheep are not to judgment brought.”
11 Oh, sweetest words that Jesus sought
In every time of need: “Weep not!”
Thrice blessed words! I list’ning stay
Till grief and sorrow flee away!
Translation: sts. 5–6, 8–10 © 2023 Matthew Carver.
sts. 1–4, 7, 11, Jane Borthwick, alt.
JANE BORTHWICK
Oh, sweetest words that Jesus could have sought […spoke]
To soothe the mourning widow’s heart, “ Weep not!” […the widow’s heart, which grief had broke;]
They fall with comfort on my ear
When life is dark and trouble near.
2 They were not whispered accents, but aloud
The Saviour spake them to the silent crowd,
That each might hear His heav’nly voice,
And in the widow’s joy rejoice1
3 Words that were spoken amid sorrow’s strife,
And in the very midst of death and life,
They shall refresh my soul at last,
And strengthen me till life is past.
4 If poverty obscures my earthly lot,
Then shall I hear my Saviour say, “Weep not!”
To God the Father raise thine eye,
For still He hears the raven’s cry.
7 And oh, should persecution’s ruthless hand
Grant me no quiet possession in the land,
The voice of Jesus calms each thought,
Heav’n is thy dwelling-place, weep not!”
9 When dearest ones are called from earth away, [Though death the dearest to my heart has slain,]
Christ can foretell a bright reunion-day: [Jesus shall yet restore my dead again;]
“Weep not,” He says, “poor mourning one, […weary one]
But think what I at Nain have done!” [think on what at Nain I’ve done!]
10 When I myself am drawing near to death, [And when I shall myself draw near to death,]
This Jesus shall be there, and thus He saith,
“The race is run, the battle fought,
I am thy light, thy life, weep not!”
11 Oh, sweetest words that Jesus could have sought [spoke]
To cheer His weary troubled ones, “Weep not!” […raise the weary hearts which grief had broke;]
Thrice blessed words! I list’ning stay
Till grief and sorrow flee away!
CHURCH HYMN BOOK
O Blessed word, our Lord expressed,
To the poor widow much distressed—
When thus he saw her weep and mourn:
The death and loss of her dear son.
2 Weep not poor widow, said our Lord,
O! what a consolating word!
A word of comfort evermore,
By which the Savior proved His pow’r.
3 It calmed her sorrows, eased her pain,
When Christ restored her son again;
What more could she on earth request,
To set her troubled heart to rest.
4 What we esteem of greatest worth,
And do prefer to all on earth:
Is often soon removed hence,
And we bewail the consequence.
5 But all must answer for our good,
Though its a cross to flesh and blood;
Our deepest sorrows, tears and cries,
Can work the greatest weight of joys.
6 For all our sorrows, woes, and grief,
The Savior brings about relief;
All His corrections in the end,
Proves Him to be our greatest friend.
GERMAN
O süßes Wort das Jesus spricht
zur armen Wittwe: Weine nicht! [Wittib]
Es kommt mir nie aus meinem Sinn,
zumal, wenn ich betrübet bin.
2 Es wird geredt nicht in ein Ohr
leis, sondern unterm freien Thor,
laut, daß es höret jederman,
und sich hierüber freuen kann.
3 Er redets aber zu der Zeit,
Da Tod und Leben war im Streit;
Drum soll es auch erquicken mich
Im Tod und Leben kräftiglich.
4 Wenn Noth und Armuth mich ansicht,
spricht doch mein Jesus: Weine nicht,
Gott ist dein Vater, trau nur ihm,
erhört er doch der Raben Stimm.
5 Bin ich sehr kraftlos, krank und schwach,
und ist nichts da, denn Weh und Ach,
so tröst mich Jesus noch, und spricht:
Ich bin dein Arzt, drum weine nicht!
6 Raubt mir der Feind mein Gut und Haab,
daß ich muß fort mit einem Stab,
sagt Jesus wieder: Weine nicht!
denk was den frommen Job geschicht.
7 Vertreibt mich des Verfolgers Hand,
Und gönnt mir keinen Sitz im Land,
schreit Jesus in mein Herz, und spricht:
Dein ist der Himmel, weine nicht!
*8 Wann lose Hunds-Bunds-Ketten seind,
ich habe Feind und falsche Freund,
spricht Jesus: Weine nicht! und glaub,
dir kann nicht schaden Asch und Staub.
9 Reißt mir der tod das Liebste hin,
Sagt Jesus: weine nicht! ich bin,
Ders wieder gibt; gedenke dran,
Was ich zu Nain hab gethan.
10 Muß ich selbst ringen mit dem Tod,
ist Jesus da, ruft in der Noth:
Ich bin das leben, weine nicht;
wer an mich glaubt wird nicht gericht.
10 O süsses Wort, das Jesus spricht
In allen Nöthen: Weine nicht!
Ach klinge stets in meinem Sinn!
so fähret alles Trauren hin,
No comments:
Post a Comment