Nun ist auferstanden

Here is my translation of the Easter hymn, "Nun ist auferstanden" (Philipp Jacob Spener, d. 1705), in NEGB#53 for Easter Day in 10 stanzas with melody assignment “Jesu, meine Freude,” originally published in 9 stanzas in the Frankfurt Praxis Pietatis Melica (Balthasar Wurst, ed. 1674). Fischer writes that, according to Koch IV, p. 218, nine hymns by Spener appeared in 1676 under the title “Frommer Christen erfreuliche Himmelslust.” The earliest appearance known to me of our hymn is [official] hymnals is Hamburg 1679, p. 345 [in the notes he indicates the Frankfurt Praxis] and in Quirsfeld, Geistl. Harffen-Klang, Leipzig, 1679, each instance with the cipher PJSD. . . . J. P. Lange rightly observes (Kirchenliederb., p. 178) that Spener is great as a Christian teacher and cure of souls—but not as a poet. He surmises that the hymn gained attention especially out of regard for the name of its author: stanza 2, e.g., is entirely unlyrical: “Daß er wollen sterben, War uns zu erwerben…” Thus far Fischer. There is an attempted reference to the “modicum” of Jubilate. Scriptural references include Col. 2:15; John 20:20; Heb. 10:12, 14; 1 Thess 4:14.

 

NOW is He arisen
From His mortal prison—
God and Mary’s Son;
Jesus vict’ry crieth,
All creation lieth
Now beneath His throne.
Every foe
Hath been laid low,
For He underfoot did tread them
And in triumph led them.

2 He was wholly willing
To endure His killing,
Our life to restore,
Since He loves us dearly,
As we now see clearly,
Since not long before
He first willed
In truth to yield
His own life, our death enduring,
Life for us procuring.

3 Now no man shall ever
Find a trace whatever
Of our trespass left,
Since He is returnèd,
Who our ransom earnèd,
Now of sin bereft;
Now is none
Bound to atone
Or for sin make satisfaction,
Paid for by His action.

4 What then now will harm us
Or what foe alarm us,
Since to grace we’re brought?
Will the devil threaten,
Though we oft be smitten
By his pow’r and plot:
Here’s the One
Who makes him run,
With all fear and terror shaking,
Hence himself betaking.

5 Hell, wilt boast unruly?
He who broke thee wholly,
Lives for all to see–
For thou gapest widely,
And couldst not hold tightly
Christ, our Surety,
Therefore thou
Must forfeit now
Any right or pow’r to claim us;
Thine thou canst not name us.

6 Let death’s teeth be flashing,
And its hands be lashing
To enfold us here.
Once his arrows grievèd,
Now they are deceivèd.
There is naught to fear!
Though he hit,
No death is it,
But his shot alone revealeth
That which wholly healeth.

7 When my heart and spirit
See that I must set
These my members weary
In a coffin dreary
Since I know this yet:
That my Head
The tomb so dread
With His body consecrated,
And its fear negated.

8 Vanity! thy pleasure
Christians do not treasure,
But to such are dead.
As we have preferrèd
Likewise be buried
Now with Christ our Head,
So will He,
Our Majesty,
With Him from this world upraise us
And with crowns will dress us.

*9 For we know this surely:
Since the Head rose early
Sunday from the tomb,
So His members duly
Shall at last rise truly
From death’s house of gloom,
In that hour
When He with pow’r,
Also shall His members quicken,
Which here pale and sicken.

*10 Joy without all loathing!
Who would not this clothing
Of mortality
Lay aside unfearing,
Since the reappearing
Of the Lord we see
Was so swift—
Oh, what a gift
Shall by Christ shall soon be given
In the bliss of heaven!

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

“W.T.H.”

LO! death's bands are riven,
Jesus is in heaven,
He, the first-born Son,-
Mighty, strong, and glorious,
Over all victorious,
On the Father's throne,
This our Friend-the Way, the End-
Hath salvation free procurèd:
Think what He endurèd!

See Him high enthronèd,
Once who bled and groanèd,
O my soul, for thee!
Trace His path to glory,
From the scene so gory,
On Mount Calvary.
Wing thy flight to regions bright,
Eagle pinions strong sustain thee,
Nought of earth detain thee.

9? Nought 'twixt me and Jesus,
Who my soul releases
From each bond and snare!
He my heart engages;
When the tempest rages,
I've no fear nor care!
This my hope-He'll take us up,
When He comes in brightest glory,
Ending grace's story.

10? For the trumpet's sounding
All my heart is bounding,
Waiting for "that Day”
When Christ comes to take us
To Himself, and make us
His own Bride for aye!
This my joy-my heart's employ,
Watching for my Lord's appearing,
For "the Day" is nearing!

GERMAN

1 Nun ist auferstanden, [Aus des Todesbanden]
Aus des Todesbanden, [Jesus ist erstanden,]
Gott und Menschen-Sohn;
Jesus hat gesieget,
Daß nun alles lieget
Unter seinem Thron.
Alle Feind,
so viel ihr seind,
Hat er auf des Haupt geschlagen,
Ja, gar Schau getragen.

2 Daß er wollen sterben [wollte]
War, uns zu erwerben,
Heil und Seligkeit;
Nachdem dies geschehen
Dürfen wir nun sehen,
Daß vor kurzer Zeit
Er zwar sich
Wahrhaftiglich,
In den Tod um unser Leben,
Hab dahin gegeben.

3 Niemand wird nun finden,
Daß von unsern Sünden
Noch was übrig sei;
Weil der wiederkommen,
Der sie übernommen;
Ja, in dem er frei,
So ist nun
Genug zu thun,
Weil die Zahlung just befunden,
Keiner mehr verbunden.

4 Was will uns nun schaden, [uns dann]
Weil wir zu Genaden [nun zu Gnaden]
Sind einmal gebracht?
Will der Teufel dräuen,
Dürfen wir nicht scheuen
Seine List und Macht:
Hie ist der
Vor welchem er
Augenblicklich muß erbeben,
Und hinweg sich heben.

5 Hölle! wilst du pochen?
Der dich hat zerbrochen,
Stellt sich lebend dar,
Weil du nun gelassen,
Und nicht möchtest fassen,
Den, der Bürge war,
So hast du,
Fort immerzu
Deines Rechtes dich begeben,
Wilder unser Leben.

6 Laß die Zähne blecken,
Und die händ ausstrecken,
Wider uns den Tod,
Dann sein Pfeil und Bogen,
Finden sich betrogen:
Es hat keine Noth;
Ob er trift,
Ists drum kein Gift,
Sondern muß mit seinen Pfeilen,
Er vielmehr uns heilen.

7 Darum mir nicht grauet,
Wenn mein Geist anschauet,
Daß noch in das Grab,
Meine müde Glieder,
Werde legen nieder,
Weil ich dieses hab,
Daß mein Hort
Mir diesen Ort
Selbst mit seinem Leibe weihe,
Daß ich ihn nicht scheue.

8 So sind alle Christen,
Dir und deinen Lüsten
Todt, o Eitelkeit,
Wie wir uns nun haben
Lassen mit begraben,
Hier in dieser Zeit.
So wird er,
Der große Herr,
Uns hervor auch mit sich führen,
Und mit Kronen zieren.

*9 Dann dies sicher stehet,
Weil das Haupt nun gehet,
Aus dem Grab heraus.
Müßen auch die Glieder,
Sonder Zweifel wieder
Aus dem Todten-Haus,
Wenn jetzund
Die liebe Stund,
Ihnen wieder gibt das Leben,
Zu ihm sich begeben.

*10 O der großen Freude!
Wer wollt nun das Kleide
Dieser Sterblichkeit
Nicht getrost ablegen?
Weil ja doch hingegen
Nach so kurzer Zeit,
Jesus Christ,
Bereitet ist,
Ihn zu kleiden mit der Sonne,
In der Himmels-Wonne.