Hosianna Davids Sohn / kommt in Zion eingezogen

Here is my translation of the Advent hymn “Hosianna Davids Sohn” (B. Schmolck, 1712), which expands on the cry Hosanna of the crows at the triumphal entry to Jerusalem and thus fits it for Advent I or Palm Sunday (but the tone and emphasis is Advent I). There are other hymns with the same title which should not be confused with the present hymn. Notably, the fourth stanza of J G. Olearius’s “Komm, du werthes Lösegeld”—“Come, Thou Precious Ransome, Come” (1664) also begins with the same line, and ends similarly to the 6th stanza this hymn, which was perhaps even inspired by that stanza. The German text was included in the Ev.-Luth. Gesangbuch #103, as well as in a 4-stanza cento in the Selah Gesangbuch #840, where it has another translation (included here below) “Hail Hosanna! David’s Son / Enters Zion’s festive portal.” This translation by Ms. Anna Hoppe was first printed in Northwestern Lutheran on March 20, 1921 (information kindly provided by Ms. Elisabeth Urtel). It is unknown whether she translated sts. 5–7 as well (thus my stanzas may be inserted as a supplement to her translation if desired). I omit Winkworth’s translation which does not follow the meter, though some of my phrases are inspired by it. Indeed, this began as an attempt to alter her translation to fit, but it was soon apparent that too much alteration was need. The appointed melody is “Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.”

HAIL Hosanna! David’s Son
Rides to Zion, crowds adore Him.
Oh, for Him prepare a throne,
Raise a thousand arches o’er Him
Scatter palms, make plain the way
This triumphal entry day!

2 Hail Hosanna! welcome be!
Lord, we all come out to meet Thee;
Ready is our heart for Thee,
Longing to lie down beneath Thee.
Enter Thou into our gates,
Where for Thee a welcome waits.

3 Hail Hosanna! Prince of peace,
King of Glory, Champion reigning,
Toiling till Thy labors cease,
Spoils of battle for us gaining,
Still on high is Thy right hand,
And Thy rule alone shall stand.

4 Hail Hosanna! dearest Guest,
We, Thy fellows, all revere Thee,
Called to fill Thy heav’nly rest,
Oh, then let us never weary
To attend Thy royal throne;
Rule in us as King alone.

5 Hail Hosanna! hasten Thou,
Let us meetly kiss Thy meekness!
Though Thy majesty for now
Hide beneath this form of weakness,
Yet in Zion Thou art known—
Son of God and David’s Son.

6 Hail Hosanna! Lord, impart
Help to us, this grace obtaining,
That we each may bring our heart
As an off’ring without feigning;
Thou tak’st no disciple, Lord,
Who cannot obey Thy Word.

7 Hail Hosanna! Let us stay
With Thee here, Mount Olive climbing,
Till in that eternal day
Psalms to Thee we may be hymning;
Yonder is our Bethphagë:
Hail, Hosanna, Lord on high!

8 Hail Hosanna far and wide!
Enter and let naught delay Thee;
Come, no longer wait outside,
Blessed of the Lord, we pray Thee!
Hail Hosanna! Art Thou far?
Nay, Thou com’st! Alleluia!

Translation © 2022 Matthew Carver.

 

Anna Hoppe’s Translation:

Hail Hosanna! David’s Son
Enters Zion’s festive portal.
Come, prepare an honor-throne,
Glorify the Lord immortal,
Strew with palms His hallowed way,
To His name sweet homage pay.

2 Hail Hosanna! Come, dear Lord,
Come, Thy Zion longs to meet Thee.
All prepared through Thy blest Word,
Thy redeemed with joy now greet Thee.
At Thy feet we long to bow,
Enter, welcome Savior, now.

3 Hail Hosanna! Prince of Peace!
Mighty Hero, King victorious!
Thou didst bid the battle cease,
Thou didst grant us laurels glorious,
Justice Thy blest reign secures,
And Thy kingdom e’er endures.

4 Hail Hosanna! Precious Guest,
Thou hast chosen us forever
Members of Thy kingdom blest,
Let it be our heart’s endeavor
E’er to bow before Thy throne,
Reign in us and reign alone.

8 Hail Hosanna!  Near and far!
Haste, O Blest One!  Haste to enter!
See our welcome gates ajar!
In Thee all our hopes we center!
Hallelujah!  Thou hast come!
Sing Hosanna, Christendom!

GERMAN

Hosianna! Davids Sohn
kommt in Zion eingezogen,
ach bereitet ihm den Thron
setzt ihm tausend Ehrenbogen.
Streuet Palmen, machet Bahn,
daß er Einzug halten kann.

2 Hosianna! sei gegrüßt!
komm, wir gehen dir entgegen:
unser Herz ist schon gerüst,
will sich dir zu Füßen legen.
Zeuch zu unsern Thoren ein,
du sollst uns willkommen sein.

3 Hosianna! Friedensfürst,
Ehrenkönig, Held im Streite!
Alles, was du schaffen wirst,
das ist unsre Siegesbeute.
Deine Rechte bleibt erhöht,
und dein Reich allein besteht.

4 Hosianna! lieber Gast,
wir sind deine Reichsgenossen,
die du dir erwählet hast;
ach, so laß uns unverdrossen
deinem Scepter dienstbar sein:
herrsche du in uns allein.

5 Hosianna! komme bald,
laß uns deine Sanftmuth küssen.
wollte gleich die Knechtsgestalt
deine Majestät verschließen,
ei so kennet Zion schon
Gottes und auch Davids Sohn.

6 Hosianna! steh uns bei!
O Herr hilf, laß wohl gelingen,
daß wir ohne Heuchelei
dir das Herz zum Opfer bringen.
Du nimmst keinen Jünger an,
der dir nicht gehorchen kann.

7 Hosianna! laß uns hier
an den Ölberg dich begleiten,
bis wir einstens für und für
dir ein Psalmenlied bereiten,
dort ist unser Bethphage:
Hosianna in der Höh!

8 Hosianna nah und fern!
eile bei uns einzugehen.
Du Gesegneter des Herrn,
warum willst du draußen stehen?
Hosianna! bist du da?
Ja, du kommst, Hallelujah.