O tröstlich Wort daß Jesus spricht

Here is my translation of the Easter hymn, “O tröstlich Wort daß Jesus spricht” (Paul Henkel, d. 1825), in NEGB #63 for Cantate, the Fourth Sunday after Easter (Gospel: John 16:5–15) with melody assignment: “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern,” a sermonic hymn perhaps inspired by Luther’s house postil. An English adaptation is included in The Church Hymn Book (1816ff.) as “O precious word the Savior spake,” in 8 stanzas of Common Meter, and is reproduced below with minor corrections.

 

O soothing word that Jesus taught
To His disciples: Fear ye not,
Though I must go and leave you;
I take the course for which I came,
And go to Him whose Son I am,
And therefore shall I give you
Clearly
To see
Gifts and graces,
In your places
And vocations
To live as My new creations.
 
2 Your heart hath sorrow and unrest,
Yet truly, it is for the best
That I should now be leaving;
The Holy Ghost will come to you,
Your mind enlighten and renew,
Consoling in your grieving.
He’ll guide,
Provide
Purer senses,
Chase offenses,
Give all power
To make foes retreat and cower.

3 He will reprove this world of dust,
Because in Christ it will not trust,
Which is the worst transgression:
That we in Christ do not believe,
Nor will His works for us receive,
His gift of free salvation.
Truly
Must he
Perish ever,
Who will never
Trust Him even,
But doth rob himself of heaven.

4 By Jesus’ going up on high
To share the Father’s majesty
To us He plainly showeth
That He is just and holy too,
And He is the Messiah true
Whom God as sworn bestoweth.
Thus He
Kindly
Makes us lowly
Sinners holy,
Sons of heaven,
By His free redemption given.

5 The wretched prince of earth’s domain
Who foul defiance doth mantain,
By Christ is judged already.
Who confidence in Him will set
Abides in peace and need not fret,
Though met by onslaught steady.
Grace is
Still his.
Though the devil
Works his evil,
Makes him waver,
Every foe yields to the Savior.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

CHURCH HYMN BOOK

O precious word the Savior spake,
To His disciples dear;
Though you, my friends, I must forsake,
Ye need not doubt nor fear.

2 To my blest Father I ascend,
And leave you here below;
I will remain your greatest Friend,
And ye shall find it true. […so]

3 For that ye now lament and grieve,
It answers for your good;
The Holy Ghost shall you receive,
The Comforter from God.

4 Your souls shall be with grace endowed,
Your hearts abound with joy,
Your fears shall vanish like a cloud
That with the winds doth fly.

5 Ye shall reprove the world of sin,
The sin of unbelief;
Which evermore the cause has been
That men find no relief.

6 By faith in Jesus man is saved!
Restored to God again;
But unbelief keeps man enslaved,
And rivets Satan's chain.

7 My innocence and righteousness
Ye shall sufficient prove:
When ye shall make the world confess
That I do reign above.

8 The Prince of darkness is condemned,
With all his art and pow’r;
And man is greatly to be blamed
To serve him any more.

GERMAN

O tröstlich Wort, daß Jesus spricht
zu seinen Jüngern: Zaget nicht,
ob ich werd von euch gehen.
Ich gehe nun zum Vater hin,
von dannen ich herkommen bin;
ihr sollt mit Freuden sehen,
daß ihr
von mir
solche Gaben
sollet haben,
die euch geben
Kraft zu einem frommen Leben.

2 Eur Herz ist wohl voll Traurigkeit,
jedoch ich sag euch die Wahrheit,
es ist für euch das Beste:
der Heilig Geist wird euch gesandt,
der euch erleuchtet den Verstand
und euch in Leiden tröste.
Der führt,
regiert
eure Sinnen,
daß von innen
ihr sollt finden
Kraft, den Feind zu überwinden.

3 Er straft die Welt mit seinem Licht,
weil sie an Christum glaubet nicht;
das ist die größte Sünde.
Daß wir nicht gläubig nehmen an,
was Christus hat für uns gethan,
laßt uns das Heil nicht finden.
Wahrlich
ewig
muß der sterben
und verderben,
der nicht glaubet
und sich selbst den Himmel raubet.

4 Daß Jesus nun zum Vater geht,
sich setzt in höchster Majestät,
damit thut er beweisen,
daß er gerecht und heilig ist,
daß er der wahre Jesus Christ,
der uns von Gott verheißen.
Daher
schenkt er,
daß auf Erden
wir auch werden
Gottes Kinder,
und die recht erlöste Sünder.

5 Es ist der Fürste dieser Welt,
der sich so grausam trotzig stellt,
durch Christum schon gerichtet.
Wer sein Vertraun auf Jesum setzt,
der bleibt im Frieden unverletzt
ob ihn der Feind anfichtet.
Der hat
die Gnad,
ob der Teufel
ihn zum Zweifel
oftmals bringet,
endlich alle Feind bezwinget.
‡