Hier bringen wir den Leib zur Ruh

Here is my translation of the funeral & committal hymn, “Hier bringen wir den Leib zur Ruh / und decken ihn mit Erde” (Paul Henkel, d. 1825), in NEGB #143, with melody assignment “Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit” and title “At the covering of the grave.” The Church Hymn Book (1816ff.) adapts the German as “This Body in the Grave Is Laid,” in 7 stanzas of Common Meter.

 

 

THIS body here to rest we lay
And in the earth conceal it,
That clay again may turn to clay,
Till Jesus shall reveal it;
For now, corruption setteth in;
To dust and ash it turns again,
As heard of yore by Adam.

2 It will not always here abide
Corrupted and forsaken;
The Lord will come, as prophesied,
The dead at once to waken,
And when Prince of Life is seen,
The soul and body joined again
Shall stand before the Judgment.

3 Then will it to all men be shown
How they their life conducted,
And all things hid shall be made known
In brightness unobstructed.
And when the Judge of all mankind
Shall each man just or guilty find,
He shall reward them duly.

4 Here learn, O mortal, what thou art,
And see thy life most clearly:
And on this earth prepare thy heart
To leave, though late or early.
For after sorrows and dismay
At last shall come thy dying day
When thou must part forever.

5 Thy days pass quickly like a breath,
So let thyself be driven,
O sinner, to prepare for death,
Wilt thou inherit heaven:
Repent and know that thou art dust,
And in Christ Jesus put thy trust,
Who is thy gracious Savior.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

CHURCH HYMN BOOK

This body in the grave is laid,
Here to return to dust:
As God to father Adam said,
That all our bodies must.

2 Not here forever to remain,
For Christ himself shall come,
And call the dead to live again,
And raise them from the tomb.

3 The graves must all give up their dead,
And every other place;
God’s great commands must be obeyed,
And all the dead must raise.

4 All must appear before their Lord,
And their just sentence hear;
Likwise receive their just reward,
Such as their actions were.

5 May we be wise while here we live:
O may we seek and try,
And take advice, as Christ doth give,
To live and learn to die.

6 How swift our precious moments pass,
How soon our days are fled;
Prepared, or unprepared, alas!
We’re numbered with the dead.

7 O careless man, be wise and think,
What will become of thee:
Who now art standing on the brink,
Of vast eternity.

GERMAN

Hier bringen wir den Leib zur Ruh
und decken ihn mit Erde;
wir scharren nun das Grabe zu,
daß Erd zur Erden werde;
hier wird er Erde, Asch und Staub,
und der Verwesung ganz zum Raub,
wie Adam schon gehöret.

2 Hier bleibt er auch doch ewig nicht
in der Verwesung stecken,
der Herr wird kommen, wie er spricht,
die Todten aufzuwecken,
und wann der Lebensfürst erscheint,
so werden Leib und Seel vereint
und müssen vors Gerichte.

3 Dann wird ein jeder offenbar,
wie er gelebt auf Erden,
und was dann sonst verborgen war,
wird alles Lichte werden,
und wann der Richter aller Welt,
das rechte Urtheil jedem fällt,
dann wird er auch recht lohnen.

4 Hier lerne, Mensch, doch was du bist,
auch lerne, was dein Leben,
wohl hier auf dieser Erden ist,
daß du mußt bald aufgeben,
nach mancher Sorge, Müh und Noth
so kommt dann endlich gar der Tod,
und du mußt ewig scheiden.

5 Wie schnell verschwindet deine Zeit,
denk, Sünder, an das Sterben;
ach! mache dich zum Tod bereit,
willst du den Himmel erben,
so lern erkennen, was du bist,
und deinen Heiland, Jesum Christ,
recht in den Glauben fassen.
‡