Christ ist erstanden von der Marter alle*

My next “new” hymn translation for Lochner’s Easter-book is “Christ ist erstanden von der Marter alle” (Anon., 12th c.), which opens Devotion 8. While a few translations may be found already, my goal here was mainly to create a version without the rhyme “risen / prison” and without using the verb “ascend” to mean rise from death. I also follow the German in using near-rhyme in the first two lines (arisen / affliction for erstanden / alle) and identical rhyme (be / be for sein / sein) in the first and third stanzas. Note that Lochner uses the text with “Herrn Jesum Christ” rather than “Vater Jesu Christ.”

Mel.: Christ ist erstanden
 

CHRIST is arisen
Out of all affliction.
In this let us all joyful be;
Christ will our true Comfort be.
Kyrieleis. 

2 With no risen Savior,
The world were lost forever;
Since He rose and lives e’ermore,
Our Lord Christ Jesus we adore.
Kyrieleis.   

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
In this let us all joyful be,
Christ will our true Comfort be. 
Kyrieleis.

Translation © 2025 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Christ ist erstanden
von der Marter alle;
des solln wir alle froh sein,
Christ will unser Trost sein.
Kyrieleis.

Wär er nicht erstanden,
so wär die Welt vergangen;
seit daß er erstanden ist,
so lobn wir den Herrn Jesum Christ!
Kyrieleis.

Halleluja, Halleluja, Halleluja!
Des solln wir alle froh sein,
Christ will unser Trost sein.
Kyrieleis.