Nun nimm mein Herz und alles was ich bin

Here is my revision, composite, or partial re-translation of Miss Winkworth’s translation of the hymn, “Nun nimm mein Herz und alles was ich bin” (Johann Scheffler, d. 1677), in GGELB #382, first in the author’s Heilige Seelen-Lust (1657) with title “She [the soul] gives herself  to her Bridegroom.” F. W. Foster first gave the first and last stanzas English rendering in the Moravian hymnal. Winkworth’s complete translation was mostly deficient in the last two lines, which in stanzas 1–3 ended in iambs rather than trochees. I include the proper melody as it appears in the original publication. Besides the original “based on a familiar melody,” Zahn gives one from Freylinghausen 1714, which I include first:

 

NOW take my heart and all that is in me,
My dearest Jesus, from myself to Thee;
I would have Thine
This soul and flesh of mine,
Each word and thought and action
Bend to Thy satisfaction.

2 Thou givest me to drink of milk and wine,
Thou pour’st in me the Fount of life divine;
O Image fair,
So sweet beyond compare!
Let me seek ever solely
Myself to give Thee wholly.

3 Behold, through all th’ eternal ages, still
My heart shall choose and love Thy holy will;
Wouldst Thou my death,
My God, I’ll die in faith;
Wouldst Thou that I keep living,
I’ll live with due thanksgiving.

4 But Thou must also deign to be my own,
To dwell in me, to make my heart Thy throne,
My God indeed,
My Help in time of need—
My Head, let naught Thee sever— [One in Thy body make me,]
My Bridegroom be forever! [My Bridegroom, ne’er forsake me!]

C. Winkworth, 1858, alt. (st. 2, lines 1–2 alt.; st. 3, line 4, alt.; st. 4, lines 5–6 alt.)
Translation st. 1, lines 2, 5–6; st. 2, lines 3–6; st. 3, lines 5–6 © 2024 Matthew Carver.

WINKWORTH 1858

Now take my heart and all that is in me,
My Lord beloved, take it from me to Thee;
I would have Thine
This soul and flesh of mine
Would order thought and word and deed
As Thy most holy will shall lead.

2 Thou feedest me with heavenly bread and wine,
Thou pourest through me streams of life divine;
Oh noble Face,
So sweet, so full of grace,
I ponder as Thy cross I see,
How best to give myself to Thee.

3 Behold, through all the eternal ages, still
My heart shall choose and love Thy holy will;
Wouldst Thou my death,
I die to Thee in faith;
Wouldst Thou that I should longer live,
To Thee the choice I wholly give.

4 But Thou must also deign to be my own,
To dwell in me, to make my heart Thy throne,
My God indeed,
My Help in time of need,
My Head from whom no power can sever,
The Bridegroom of my soul for ever!

FOSTER 1789

O take my heart, and whatsoe’er is mine,
Beloved Jesus, I’ll be only Thine;
To Thee I’ll live,
And soul and body give;
My words and whole behavior
Be ruled by Thee forever.

4 But give Thyself, my Jesus, unto me,
And dwell within my heart continually:
O Lord, remain
My joy ‘midst grief and pain;
From Thee, my soul’s belovèd,
May I ne’er be removèd.

GERMAN

Nu nimm mein Hertz und alles, was ich bin,
von mir zu dir, mein liebster Jesu, hin.
Ich will nun dein
mit Leib und Seele sein;
mein Reden, Thun, und Tichten
nach deinem Willen richten.

2 Du tränkest mich mit lauter Milch und Wein;
du schenkest mir den Brunn des Lebens ein.
o edles Bild,
du bist so süß und mild,
daß ich stets drauf gedenke,
wie ich mich dir ganz schenke.

3 Drum schau, ich will in Ewigkeit
dein Wohlgefalln zu lieben sein bereit;
willt du mich todt,
so sterb ich gern, mein Gott;
willt du, daß ich soll leben,
will ich mich drein ergeben.

4 Du aber sollst auch wieder meine sein,
und ganz und gar kommn in mein Herz hinein; [gar gehn]
sollst sein mein Gott
und Trost in aller Noth,
sollst mich dir einverleiben,
und ewger Bräutgam bleiben. [ewig]