Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen

Here is my supplemental translation of the Jesus/Cross & Comfort hymn, “Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen” (Dr. Ahasuerus Fritsch, d. 1701), in ELGB #341, originally in the author’s Himmels-Lust und Welt-Unlust (Leipzig, 1670) with title “The ever-desired, sweet Jesus.” (Grabau gives the title “Sweet comfort and strength of a Christian man under the shelter of the grace of Christ.) Fritsch’s authorship, says Fischer, is nevertheless uncertain since he included other’s hymns anonymously in his collections. In some hymnals it begins “Schönster Immanuel.” My translation of stanzas 5 and 6 I here add to my somewhat altered version of Stryker’s translation of stanzas 1–4 (another translation, Drinker’s “Dearest Immanuel, Lord of the faithful,” does not follow the rhyme scheme). Below I include Stryker’s original text for comparison. The later proper melody evidently derives from Johann Rudolph Ahle (this is used by Bach in BWV 123 and 485). Freylinghausen gives an alternate melody. The original melody used was that by Becker.

  

DEAREST Immanuel, Prince of the lowly,
Thou my soul’s confidence, come soon to me!
Thou hast my heart, dear Lord, usurped so wholly,
All its love ardently flows out to Thee.
Naught that is earthy
seemeth me worthy,
So I but ever my Jesus may see!

2 Name sweet and wonderful—King! as I listen,
Lovely, most graciously, as fresh with dew
’Neath the cool morning-tide fields of bloom glisten,
So falleth Jesus’ name, whom trust I true.
Thus my heart parteth
From all that smarteth,
When in adoring faith my Lord I view.

3 And if, while here I live, the cross appalleth,
For Christians oft their Savior’s cross must share,
Then if my soul on Jesus simply calleth,
Already can the heart o’er roses fare.
No storm’s wild riot
Shall wreak disquiet;
Gladly will I with Christ its raging bear.

4 When Satan’s craft and might fain would devour me,
When conscience cries of sins against Thy laws,
When hell with all her host would overpow’r me,
When looming death my heart consumes and gnaws,
I stand unfearing,
With Jesus nearing—
He with His blood all their host overawes.

5 The world may persecute, hate, and abhor me,
I may be scorned by all, both man and maid;
Though dear acquaintance forsake and ignore me,
Yet Jesus heartily comes to my aid,
Lifts me when weary,
Speaks words to cheer me:
“I am thy Friend and My help ne’er shall fade.”

6 Depart, then, vanities, and show you never!
Thou, Jesus, Thou art mine, and I am Thine,
I would prepare to go to Thee forever,
Fill Thou my lips and heart, Savior divine;
My being wholly
Take for Thee solely,
Till I some day shall in the grave recline.

Translation sts. 1–4, M. Woolsey Stryker, alt.
Translation sts. 5–6 © 2023 Matthew Carver.

STRYKER

Dearest Immanuel, Prince of the lowly,
Thou my soul’s confidence, come soon to me!
Thou my heart’s treasury takest so wholly,
All its love ardently flows out to Thee.
Naught that is earthy
seemeth me worthy,
So I but ever my Jesus may see!

2 Name sweet and wonderful—King! as I listen,
Lovely, most graciously, as fresh with dew
’Neath the cool morning-tide fields of bloom glisten,
So falleth Jesus’ name, whom trust I true.
Thus my heart parteth
From all that smarteth,
When in adoring faith my Lord I view.

3 And if my earthliness the cross appalleth,
That e’en a Savior’s lot it was to share,
If my soul earnestly on Jesus calleth,
Already can the heart o’er roses fare.
No storm’s wild riot
Shall work disquiet;
Gladly will I with Christ its raging bear.

4 When Satan’s stout device fain would devour me,
When tells my conscience-book of broken laws,
When with her myrmidons hell would o’erpow’r me,
When death’s corroding tooth the heart begnaws,
Stand I unfearing,
With Jesus nearing—
All of them by His blood Christ overawes.

GERMAN

Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen,
Du meiner Seelen Trost, komm, komm nur bald!
Du hast mir, höchster Schatz! mein Herz genommen,
so ganz vor Liebe brennt und nach dir wallt,
nichts kann auf Erden
mir lieber werden,
als wan ich meinen Jesum stets behalt'.

2 Dein Nam, ist Zucker-süß, Honig im Munde,
holdselig, lieblich, frisch wie kühler Thau
der Feld und Blumen netzt zur Morgen-Stunde:
mein Jesus ist es nur den ich vertrau.
Dann weicht von Herzen,
was mir macht Schmerzen,
wann ich im glauben Ihn anbet' und schau.

3 Und ob das Creuze mich gleich zeitlich plaget,
wie es bei Christen oft pflegt zu geschehn;
wenn meine Seele nur nach Jesu fraget,
so kann das Herze schon auf Rosen gehn.
Kein Ungewitter
ist mir zu bitter,
mit Jesu kann ichs fröhlich überstehn.

4 Wenn Satans List und Macht mich will verschlingen,
wenn das Gewissens-Buch die Sünden sagt:
wenn auch mit ihrem Heer mich will umringen
die Hölle, wenn der Tod am Herzen nagt,
steh' ich doch feste,
Jesus der Beste
ist's, der sie alle durch sein Blut verjagt.

5 Ob mich auch will die Welt verfolgen, hassen,
und bin dazu veracht't bei Jedermann,
von meinen Freunden auch fast gar verlassen,
nimmt Jesus meiner sich doch herzlich an,
und stärkt mich Müden,
spricht: sei zufrieden,
ich bin dein bester Freund, der helfen kann.

6 Drum fahret immer hin ihr Eitelkeiten,
Du, Jesu, Du bist mein und ich bin Dein,
ich will mich von der Welt zu Dir bereiten,
Du sollt in meinem Mund und Herzen sein;
mein ganzes Leben
sei Dir ergeben,
bis man mich einsten legt in's Grab hinein.