Laß mir, wenn meine Augen brechen

Here is my translation of the death & burial hymn, “Laß mir, wenn meine Augen brechen” (Anon., bef. 1824), Ev.-luth. Gsb #634. Fischer has no entry for it. It is in fact a Moravian hymn stanza (a “Verse”) evidently of more recent origin, occurring in the Mor. Hymn-Book 1824 without title or author. Reports from the Moravian Church, vol. 7 (1825) refers to its being sung on June 6, 1823 by Sister Justina Stock née Pöhler, of the Moravian Church in Labrador, on her deathbed. It is included by Claus Harms 1828 with a few alterations and with optional pronouns (his, her, etc.) for singing over the dying person. It is further found Knapp 1837, and from thence Elsner 1840, who follow the 1824 wording, but with alteration of the 5th line, losing the “blood-bestrewn arms.” It is perhaps from the Entwurf (1840) or proposal for a new Ev.-Luth. Gesangbuch, that it came to greater dissemination and hence into the Pennsylvania and Wisconsin hymnals. The appointed melody is “Die Tugend wird durchs Kreuz geübet.”

 

LET me, O Lord, when sight is failing,
Still feel the presence of Thy peace;
Come, pledge to me Thy balm availing,
And bless my limbs when life must cease;
Extend Thine arms, that once were bloodied,
Wherein I grace and peace have found,
And keep my soul till re-embodied
Safe in Thy home and heaven’s ground.

Harms (1828):
LET me (him, her), O Lord, when sight is failing,
Feel of Thy peace a gentle breath;
Come, pledge to me (him, her) Thy balm availing,
And consecrate these limbs for death;
Receive this soul with arms once bloodied,
Wherein it grace and peace hath found,
And keep it till some day embodied
Safe in Thy home and heaven’s ground.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Laß mir, wenn meine Augen brechen,
Herr, deinen Frieden fühlbar sein;
komm, deinen Trost mir zuzusprechen
und segne mein Gebeine ein;
gieb Ruhe mir in deinen Armen, [orig.: reich mir die blutbefloßnen…]
darin ich Gnad und Friede fand,
und trag mich vollends mit Erbarmen
sanft zu dir heim ins Vaterland.

Harms (1828):

Laß mir, wenn meine (seine, ihre) Augen brechen,
mir (ihm, ihr) deinen Frieden fühlbar sein.
Komm, deinen Trost mir (ihm, ihr) zuzusprechen,
weih diesen Leib zum Sterben ein;
die Seele halt in deinen Armen,
darin ich (er, sie) Gnad und Friede fand,
und trage dann sie mit Erbarmen
sanft zu dir heim ins Vaterland.