Der König aller Könige

Here is my translation of the hymn, “Der König aller Könige” (L. Helmbold, d. 1598), from the author’s Schöne geistliche Lieder, for Palm Sunday. N. Herman provides no special hymn adapted for this occasion, but refers back to Advent I. Helmbold, more disposed to application of the text than pure paraphrase, gives here a fitting, brief summary from the perspective of Palmarum. The melody I give in its simplified form from Nuremberg 1527, used for a Palmarum text by C. Löner.

Mel.: Rex Christe factor omnium;

Or: Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht.

 

THE Christ, the King of every king,

Of whom all holy prophets sing,

The Savior born in Bethlehem

Now rides into Jerusalem.

2 He rides no noble steed and fair;

A humble donkey Him doth bear,

In manner due this King doth ride

As Holy Scripture testified.

3 As long before God gave command

To utter by the prophet’s band:

Rejoice, O Zion’s daughter dear

Shout, Salem’s daughter, full of cheer! 

4 Behold, thy King doth come to thee,

Thy righteous Savior for to be.

Yet in a lowly form He fares,

The pow’r of God a donkey bears.

5 The people joy to see the day,

With robes and foliage strew the way,

Before and after Him they sing

Hosanna, praises to the King!

6 Ride on, ride on, Thou Monarch great,

On high shall end Thy low estate!

Salvation bring and righteousness,

Let us Hosannas sweet express.

7 O Son of David, blest be Thou,

Who in the Lord’s name comest now

So graciously. Thy Spirit give,

To laud and praise Thee while we live.

Translation © 2026 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Der König aller Könige,

auf welchen geht all Prophezei,

Christus geborn zu Bethlehem,

reitet ein zu Jerusalem.

2 Nicht auf eim hochtrabenden Pferd,

ein schlecht Esel trägt ihn auf Erd,

also hält dieses Königs Weis,

nach der Schrift führt er seine Reis.

3 Wie Gott lang zuvor selbs befohln,

daß die Propheten sagen solln:

Freu dich, Zion, du Tochter mein,

jauchze, du Stadt Jerusalem.

4 Siehe, dein König kommt zu dir,

gerecht und hilfreicher Begier,

doch in armseliger Gestalt,

ein Esel trägt Gottes Gewalt.

5 Das Volk, so sich der Zukunft freut,

Kleider und Zweig auf den Weg streut,

und singet vor und nach ihm her,

Hosianna mit Lob und Ehr.

6 Reit her, reit her, du König groß,

dein Niedrigkeit geht hoch hinaus,

Gerechtigkeit und Heil uns bring,

darbei man Hosianna sing.

7 Gelobet seist du Davids Sohn,

dein Zukunft ist holdselig schon

vollbracht in dem Namen des Herrn,

gib deinen Geist, daß wir dich ehrn. Amen.

Rex Israel tuus tibi

Here is my translation of G. Fabricius' hymn, "Rex Israel tuus tibi" from his book of poetry, De Historia et Meditatione Christi Mortis (1553). It appears to have been taken into a few hymnals, but it is unclear which melody it was given. I provide the Gregorian melody most often associated with the Passiontide hymn "Rex Christe factor omnium."

THY KING, O Isr’el, comes to thee,
In manner meek, and willingly,
His entry now with hands applaud,
With trumpet hail, with anthems laud!

2. He comes not fierce with forces steeled
Or barb’rous troops to take the field,
But, poor-appareled, makes His track
Upon a lowly donkey’s back.

3. No joy of fleeting wealth He brings,
But bounties of eternal things;
What doubt can then thy heart convince
To dread so mild and rich a Prince?

4. For Him let us our garments strew,
For Him the greening branches hew,
For Him a hymn of glory sound,—
In strife our fairest Fav’rite crowned!

5. Here doth the gentle Pauper go
The dev’lish fiend to overthrow,—
The righteous King, for our release
To raise a vict’ry-rod* of peace.

6. By word and hand He claims for heav’n
The kingdom by His Father giv’n,
And in His temple on the rod,
Disdained by rulers, reigns as God.

7. Our glad Hosanna let us sing
To David’s Son, the gracious King,
O may His kingdom ever blest
For ages flourish without rest! Amen.

Translation © 2014 Matthew Carver.

*Trop(h)aea, i.e., tree-shaped monuments formerly used to mark a military victory; here, the cross.

LATIN (G. FABRICIUS)

1. Rex, Israel, tuus tibi
mansuetus et volens adest,
Plausus manu, cantus tuba
et ore laudes persona.

2. Non saevus armato grege,
cohortibusve barbaris,
Tergo sed insidens, venit
inops, aselli pauperis.

3. Nec fert caduca gaudia,
vitae sed aeternae bona,
Neve [=Neu] horreas mitissimum,
sic vult venire, principem.

4. Sternamus huic velamina,
ramos secemus arborum,
Promamus hymnum gloriae
pulcherrimo_in certamine.

5. Pauper superbum subjugat
clemens atrocem daemonem,
Rex justus et salvans suos
trophaea pacis erigit.

6. Regnum_a parente traditum
verbo manuque vindicat
Contemnitur potentibus,
sed regnat in templo deus.

7. Osanna laetum Davidis
canamus almo filio,
Cuius per omne saeculum
regnum beatum floreat. [Amen.]

Schau, Sündiger Mensch, wer du bist

Here is my translation of “Schau, Sündiger Mensch, wer du bist” (M. Weiße, 1566), which is supposed to be based on Rex Christe factor omnium. The hymn had 13 stanzas, but there are two versions, the older going by the first line “Sündiger Mensch, schau wer du bist,” which is the version of the title Ludecus specifies for Judica, Palmarum, and Good Friday. The melody is that used for Rex Christe.


“O SINNER, see thy wretched case,”
Saith Jesus Christ, our Lord of grace:
“Take thought, how God doth rage at thee,
How all thy works are vanity.”

2. “Behold what mercies in Me swell!
I spare no good, I love thee well;
Thy fear and anguish I have known
For they have pierced Me to the bone.”

3. “I suffered much distress for thee,
Was scorned and mocked most grievously,
That by Myself thou might’st be graced,
And I by thee forever praised.”

4. “I suffered beatings, wounds and pain,
That I might make thee well again.
And that thou mayst thy sins deplore,
Nor need to suffer evermore.”

5. “I was for thy sake made a curse
To crown thee with a blessed verse,
And fixed in thee My doctrine pure,
Thy sanctifying to ensure.”

6. “I let My wrists in bonds be bruised,
To make thee, from sin’s fetters loosed
And wholly trusting to My grace,
To see at last My joyous face.”

7. “I took their scorn, and beaten down,
Was dressed with mocking robe and crown,
And, fastened to the cross with nails,
I died amid the mournful wails.”

8. “There for thy good I freely spilt
My precious blood, unflecked by guilt,
Thy sinful bondage to dispel,
Subduing devil, death and hell.”

9. “Sin, hell, and death through Adam came,
But grace and heaven through My name,
Eve went where she was not allowed,
But I to God My Father bowed.”

10. “Eve gave occasion to the foe,
And took and ate the fruit of woe,
While I, with arms outstretched, had naught
But gall and vinegar unsought.”

11. “In Adam, not one thing was meet,
Wherefore My wounding was complete:
In full I paid with patience mild
The debts that Adam’s sin compiled.”

12. “Repent, O man, and change thy way,
Make Me by faith thy hope and stay,
And thou wilt find from sin release,
And for thy soul, eternal peace.”

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2010.

GERMAN

1. Schau Sündiger Mensch wer du bist
spricht unser HErre Jesus Christ,
gedenk du seist in Gottes Zorn,
mit deim Thun ewiglich verlorn.

2. Sieh an, Ich von großer Geduld,
gönn dir guts und bin dir sehr Hold,
dein Angst und Noth ist mir bewußt,
denn ich habs rechtschaffen gekost’t.

3. Ich leid um deinetwegen Noth,
großen Kummer, viel Hohn und Spott,
aufdaß du wohl würdest begabt
und ich ewig von dir gelobt.

4. Ich ward geschlagen und verwundt,
aufdaß ich dich ganz macht gesund,
und du alle Sünd vermiedest
hie, und dort nicht ewig liedest.

5. I ward für dich vermaledeit,
daß du würdest gebenedeit,
und in dir haftet meine Lehr,
dir also alles heilig wär.

6. Ich ward gebunden und verspeit,
aufdaß du von Irrthum gefreit,
mir gänzlich möchtest vertrauen,
und mein fröhlich Antlitz schauen.

7. Ich ward gegeißelt und verhöhnt,
spöttisch gekleidet und gekrönt,
darnach an ein Kreuz geschlagen,
an dem ich starb mit wehklagen.

8. Allda vergoß ich dir zu gut
mildiglich mein unschuldig Blut,
daß ich dich von Sünden entbünd
Teufel, Tod und Höll überwind.

9. Durch Adam kam Sünd, Höll und Tod,
und durch mich kömmt Leben und Gnad:
Heva ging wohin sie nicht sollt,
ich aber wo mein Vater wollt.

10. Heva gab dem Verführer raum,
nahm und aß vom verbotnen Baum:
ich aber am Kreuz ausgestreckt
hab nur Gall und Essig geschmeckt.

11. Der ganz Adam war ungesund,
derhalb mein ganzer Leib verwundt:
Ich hab bezahlet mit Geduld,
alles was Adam hat verschuldt.

12. Thu Buß, o Mensch, und besser dich,
bau dich durch den Glauben auf mich,
so wirstu los deiner Sünden,
und Ruh deiner Seel erfinden.

O wir armen Sünder (st. 6/6)

Here is my translation of “O [Ach] wir armen Sünder!” (H. Bonnus, ca. 1543). It comes from the 15th c. Latin hymn on Christ's passion, and the melody is a variation thereof. Ludecus appoints it for Quinquagesima and for Trinity III. It seems to be corrected from a popular vernacular hymn, "O you wretched Judas." The melodies shown below are Lossius' version with the first stanza of the Latin, and the German form of 1527, which has two options for the Kyrie. According to Lossius, the stanzas of the hymn Rex Christe Factor omnium [“O Christ, Our King, Creator, Lord”] were interposed between those of this hymn.


1. Oh, what wretched sinners
Are we on this earth!
Sinners from conception,
Sinners from our birth!
Brought by our transgression
Into such distress
We deserve damnation
For our sinfulness.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison!

2. Our escape could never
Out of death be gained
By our own endeavor—
Sin too strongly reigned;
For to gain redemption
Nothing else could be
But God’s Son must suffer
Death and agony.
Kyrie, etc.

3. Had our Lord not met us
Here upon the earth,
And upon Him taken
Our own fleshly birth,
And for our transgression
Died most willingly—
We would face damnation
For eternity.
Kyrie, etc.

4. Such was the great favor
And the tender care
Which in Christ our Savior
God for us laid bare,
When, in bitter passion
Christ upon the cross
Earned us the salvation
Freely giv’n to us.
Kyrie, etc.

5. With such consolation
In both sin and death,
Fires of condemnation
Cannot shake our faith;
Rescue from all danger
Is our sure bequest
From Our Lord and Savior,
Christ, forever blest.
Kyrie, etc.

6. Let us altogether
Sing our joyful boast,
Thanking God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost,
Praying for protection,
From offenses here,
And the preservation
Of His Word so dear.
Kyrie, etc.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2010.

GERMAN

1. Ach wir armen Sünder!
unser Missethat,
darin wir empfangen
und geboren sind,
hat gebracht uns alle
in solch große Noth,
daß wir unterworfen
sind dem ewgen Tod.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison!

2. Aus dem Tod wir konnten
durch unsr eigen Werk
nimmer werdn gerettet:
die Sünd war zu stark;
daß wir würdn erlöset,
konnts nicht anders sein,
Gottes Sohn mußt leiden
des Tods bitter Pein.
Kyrie etc.

3. So nicht wäre kommen
Christus in die Welt,
und an sich genommen
unser arm Gestalt,
und für unser Sünde
gestorben williglich:
hätten wir mußt werden
verdammt ewiglich.
Kyrie etc.

4. Solche große Gnade
und väterlich Gunst
hat uns Gott erzeiget
lauterlich umsonst
in Christo, seim Sohn[e],
der sich geben hat
in den Tod des Kreuzes
uns zur Seligkeit.
Kyrie etc.

5. Deß solln wir uns trösten
gegen Sünd und Tod,
und ja nicht verzagen
vor der Hölle Glut;
denn wir sind gerettet
aus all Fährlichkeit
durch Christ unsern Herren,
globt in Ewigkeit,
Kyrie etc.

6. Darum wolln wir loben,
danken allezeit
dem Vater und Sohne
und dem Heilgen Geist!
bitten, daß sie wollen
hüten uns vor Arg,
und daß wir stets bleiben
bei seim heilgen Wort.
Kyrie etc.