Ach, mein Herze, gib dich drein

Here is my translation of the Christian Life (Devotion to God) hymn, “Ach, mein Herze, gib dich drein” (Benjamin Schmolck, d. 1737), from Ev.-luth. Gsb #511. Fischer has no entry for it. First to be noted is the acrostic formed from the first letter of each line: ANNA REGINA GEBOHRNE SCHMOLCKIN BS (“Anna Regina, née Schmolck,” evid. his daughter, or perhaps a sister). I find it, besides in the posthumous collection of Schmolck’s works in 1738, in the Egloffstein Gsb 1728, no. 534, in the section “Cross and Comfort.” In the Geistlicher . . . Blumen-Garten (1740) it has the title “Fearless devotion to God.” Because Rankin has already provided a relatively literal translation (included below), I endeavor here to provide one which retains the original acrostic. The melody is “Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.”

 

AH, my heart! leave God to care;
Not thy will but His let guide thee.
None but Jesus can repair
And relieve what ills betide thee.
Rest within His love’s embrace,
Easy, patient by His grace.

2 God hath made thee now to go
In the way of thorns distressing,
Now and then to taste of woe,
And within thy cup of blessing,
Gall to mix. Yet trust that He
Every time acts faithfully.

3 Be thou faithful to thy God,
Oft though crosses may oppress thee;
Hast thou not, besides His rod,
Rest and comfort still to bless thee?
Naught o’ercomes the godly mind
Eagerly to God resigned.

4 Such is e’er God’s wonted way:
Christians must be patient ever,
His own Son for many a day
Met with hardship and disfavor;
Oh, He knows well what thou art;
Let it be with cheerful heart.

5 Crowns shall follow after war,
Keep the faith and never waver
Jesus never stands afar,
None can rob thee of thy Savior
Bear in pray’r and purely live;
See what blessings He shall give.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

Jeremiah Eames Rankin (1898):

Ah, my heart, to it give up,
Take what God may foreordain thee;
He, who mingles sorrow’s cup,
Can, in sorrow, still sustain thee.
He will right thee, tears efface,
And will give thee grace for grace.

2 Tread’st thou here a path of thorns?
Is thy drink with gall commingled?
Never God thy sorrow scorns,
He for thee this path has singled.
Only trust! When understood,
It is right, and it is good.

3 True thy God must still abide!
Under crosses dost thou sorrow?
’Neath His shadow thou canst hide,
Rest and trust from Him canst borrow.
Nothing can that man o’erthrow,
Whom God cares for here below.

4 To God’s plans thyself adjust,
Hoping still, and still enduring,
He, the Lord, who is thy trust,
Through these woes, thy peace securing.
Well He knows what is thy lot,
Patient suffer, murmur not.

5 Crowns come not till after war!
Still contending, still believing,
Jesus never stands afar;
Thee no pow’r of Him bereaving.
Praying, suff’ring patient, pure,
Thou shalt find the end secure.

GERMAN

Ach meine Herze! gieb dich drein,
nimm mit deinem Gott vor willen,
nur dein Jesus kann allein
alle deine Sorgen stillen;
richte dich nach seiner Huld,
er giebt Trost und auch Geduld.

2 Gehst du hier die Dornenbahn,
ist dein Trank vermischt mit Gallen,
nimm es nur geduldig an,
also hat es Gott gefallen;
glaube nur, was dieser thut,
das ist Alles recht und gut. [es…]

3 Bleibe deinem Gott getreu;
ob das kreuz gleich bringet Schmerzen, [das Kreuze]
hast zu dennoch stets dabei
Ruh und Trost in deinem Herzen:
nichts besiegt auf dieser Welt
einen Sinn, der Gott gefällt.

4 Schicke dich in Gottes Brauch,
Christen müssen dulden, hoffen;
hat doch deinen Heiland auch
manches Ungemach getroffen;
o! er weiß, wie dir es thut,
leide nur mit frohem Muth.

5 Cronen folgen auf den Streit,
kämpfe nur mit festem Glauben;
Jesus ist ja nimmer weit,
Niemand kann sein Herz dir rauben;
bete, leide, lebe rein,
selig wird dein Ende sein.