Von fernen Landen holt man her

Here is my translation of the canticle paraphrase, “Von fernen Landen holt man her” (C. Spangenberg, 1582), the 14th OT canticle in the serires, titled “Balaam’s blessing on Israel,” from Num. 23, with subtitle: “It is a teaching of the Christian church and gives the comfort that God turns the curse of the ungodly upon His people into utter blessing, and that Christians are exalted in God’s sight, and His special, beloved congregation, which He will multiply, and though they die a temporal death, preserve them from eternal death.”

 

FROM distant countries they are brought
By whom our cursing should be wrought,
But how can curses e’er betide
That flock for whom God doth provide?

2 How can that people be accursed,
Whom God hath sworn to honor first,
And unto them His Son hath sent,
Who all their curse to blessings bent?

3 Him from the rocks’ high top I see,
That race, His chosen progeny;
And Him behold I from the hills,
With whom God dwells, whose hearts He fills.

4 This people all alone abide,
No heathen that in lies confide
Shall to their number reckoned be,
But swept aside most certainly.

5 There is no man on earth indeed
Who can count those of Jacob’s seed,
Nor can the mere fourth past relay
Of Isr’el true, so vast are they.

6 It is the longing of my heart
That I too might so blest depart
As those just saints for whom God cares,
And that my end may be like theirs!

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Von fernen Landen holt man her,
die uns sollen verfluchen sehr,
wie kann aber der Fluch bestehn,
wider das Volk von Gott versehn?

2 Wie kann man schelten diese Leut,
die Gott selbst ehret allzeit,
und seinen Sohn ihn hat gesendt,
der allen Fluch in Segen wendt.

3 Wohl von der Höh der Felsen ich
den auserwälhten Haufen sich
und von den Hügeln schau ich ihn,
Gott selbst bei ihnen wohnet drinn.

4 Dies Volk besonders wohnen wird,
kein Heid so fürsetziglich irrt,
zuh ihn gerechnet werden soll,
von ihn sind sie gescheiden wohl.

5 Auf Erden lebet nicht der Mann,
der den Staub Jacob zählen kann,
noch ausspreschen den vierten Theil,
der Zahl des Volkes Israel.

6 Darum ist das Verlangen mein,
daß ich auch möchte sterben fein
wie der Gerecht in Gottes Händ,
daß mein Abscheid sei wie ihr End.