Nu lob wir heut allesamt

Here is my translation of “Nu lob wir heut allesamt” (Boh. Brethren 1566?), a rhymed translation of Notker’s sequence for Ascension “Summi triumphum Regis.” There are a few differences from the original Latin verison. First, notice that the lines have been rhymed. This is typical of the Bohemian Brethren versions of Latin chants, proses, and sequences, and it is in such form that many of the Boh. Breth. settings were taken up into Lutheran hymnals. Next, notice that there are eleven phrases with matching musical parts, as opposed to ten in the original; like the Latin, however, both the first and last phrases are unique (i.e., without doubling). There is considerably less emphasis on the Jeduthun conceit, and no talk of leaping whatsoever. I did use the word leap once, however, because it rhymed well. Finally, also note that Boh. Brethren have made adjustments to the melody to flow better with the text. (Click on notation to enlarge it; it is split into two images. Click here for an audio [midi] file.)


1. Now praise we Christ our Savior,
Our High King forever.
2. Who by His great pow’r and might sustains
Heav’n and earth, and over all creation reigns.
Who Himself did offer willingly
Into death for us, in deep humility.
3. Never did we see
Or hear of such a mystery,
That God thus should leap
To join His creatures where they weep.
4. Oh, what distress, what sorrow, and what cross!
Even death He gladly bore for us!
And not for any good in us He went,
But for boundless love His life He spent.
5. Therefore did He come down from His heav’nly dwelling
To bestow on sinners grace, all gifts excelling,
Taking on our mortal, perishable nature,
That He might imperishable make His creature.
6. By death and agony
He saved us from all misery.
He triumphed o’er the foe
And let hell’s captive spirits go.
7. And when He rose again,
He came to His disciples with an order plain:
“Go into every place,
Proclaiming unto all My covenant of grace.”
8. Then He went up into heaven and was hid from their sight,
And in all glory now sits at God the Father’s right.
Where as true God He longs to hear our praises and requests,
In whom alone all might o’er heaven and earth now rests.
9. There evermore He is our high priest and throne of grace,
And intercedes for us before the Father’s face.
In like manner as ye saw Him into heaven go,
So shall He come again, our sentence to bestow.
10. Oh Jesus Christ, God’s Son,
Who art exalted high upon the heav’nly throne,
We pray Thee now to send
Thy Spirit from on High, His gracious help to lend,
11. Our guide on earth to be,
And hence to lead us up to Thy majesty.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2010.

GERMAN (Kirchengeseng 1580):

1. Nu lob wir heut allesamt /
Christum unser Heiland.
2. Der durch seine Gwalt die ganze welt /
den Himmel samt allem regiert und erhält.
Der sich selbs für uns demütiglich, /
zum Opfer gegeben hat ganz williglich.
3. [W]er hat je erhört /
noch gesehn der gleichen Wohlthat.
Das Gott aus seim Saal, /
kommen sollt auf den Jammerthal.
4. O ganze Leid[?}, und so viel Angst und Noth, /
willig für uns leiden bis in Tod.
Es hat ihn nicht bewegt unser Frömkeit, /
sondern sein unmässig Gütigkeit.
5 Darum ist er kommen zu den Menschen Kindern, /
daß er seine Gnad mittheilt uns armen Sündern.
Und unser sterbliche Natur angenommen, /
daß wir seiner göttlichen möchten bekommen.
6. Der durch sein bittern Tod, /
uns erlöst aus der Hellen Noth.
Den Feind überwunden /
und entgangen seinen Banden.
7. Als er er erstanden war, /
erschein er sein’n Jüngern, macht sich ihn’n offenbar.
Sprach, Geht in alle Land, /
mein Wort zu verkünden und lehrt den neuen Bund.
8. Nachdem fuhr er tiglich auf gen Himmel da er jetzt /
gar herrlich erhöht zu der rechten seins vatern sitzt.
Allda will er von uns angebett werden als ein Gott, /
der im Himmel und auf Erden alle Gewalt hat.
9. Dort ist er ein Bischof und Versöhner allezeit, /
der uns allda vertritt für Gottes Herrlichkeit.
Gleicherweis wie er ist gen Himmel aufgenommen, /
also wird er wieder h’rab zu richten kommen.
10. Ey, Herre Jesu Christ, /
der du für Gottes Thron herzlich erhöhet bist.
Wir bitten dich allsamt, wollest uns von oben /
mit deim Geist begaben
11. Der uns hie regiere, /
und zu deiner Klarheit dorthin auch führe. Amen.

Summi triumphum Regis

A little late for this year, but here is my translation for Notker's Ascension sequence "Summi triumphum Regis," lit., the Highest King's triumph. Herberger references the line "He leapt down from heaven" when examining the applicability of the name Jeduthun (Idithum), understood as "Leaper," to Christ. (Click to enlarge melody.)
1. The triumphal ascent of our High King we honor,
2a. Who wields the scepters of heav’n and earth, and has shattered hell’s authority.
2b. Who gave His own self, oh, dearest payment! to purchase our deliverance.
3a. Whom we also fitly and rightly call Jeduthun,
3b. For over all the hills and mountains of Bethel He leapt with great potency,
4a. He leapt down from heaven into the womb of a Virgin, thus to the sea of mortality;
4b. After He had pacified that sea by His dominion, down He leapt into the grim darkness of Phlegethon,
5a. There did He topple the prince of darkness from off his throne.
5b. With many hosts in His train, forth He came to enlighten the earth with His radiance.
6a. And there, bound tightly in shackles, came Bondage himself, foll’wing the Victor.
6b. And now to life resurrected, Christ appeared to His friends and disciples.
7a. Finally, on this day with the highest of leaps, He transcended the clouds of heav’n, His wingèd course following.
7b. Therefore this feast is celebrated by His faithful people, whose poor mortal flesh / Jeduthun, God’s very Son, carried with Him in His body to the highest celestial throne of God.
8a. Who in true fear of God await the Judge to come, as the two heav’nly angels apprised disciples:
8b. “This Jesus who was taken from you to heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen Him going.”
9a. So let us all to our Jeduthun pray, with our fervent voice imploring,
9b. That from God’s right hand where He sits He would send us His Holy Spirit,
10. That till the end of the age He too would be with us forever.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2010–11.

LATIN

1. Summi triumphum Regis prosequamur laude.
2a. Qui cæli, qui terræ regit sceptra inferni jure domito.
2b. Qui sese pro nobis redimendis per magnum dedit precium.
3a. Huic nomen extat conveni'ens Idithum.
3b. Nam transilivit omnes strenue montes colliculosque Bethel,
4a. Saltum de cælo dedit in virginalem ventrem, inde in pelagus seculi.
4b. Postquam illud suo mitigavit potentatu, tetras Phlegethontis assiliit tenebras.
5a. Principis illius disturbato imperio.
5b. Maniplis plurimis inde erutis, mundum illustrat suo jubare.
6a. Captivitatemque detentam in ibi, victor duxit secum.
6b. Et redivivum jam suis se præbuit servis et amicis.
7a. Denique saltum dederat hodie maximum, nubes polosque cursu præpeti transiens.
7b. Celebret ergo populus hunc diem credulus cujus morbida, Idithum, corpora in semetipso altis sedibus cæli invexit Dei Filius.
8a. Et tremens, judicem expectat adfuturum, ut duo angeli fratres docuerunt,
8b. Qui Jesus a vobis assumptus est in cælum, iterum veniet, ut vidistis eum.
9a. Jam Idithum nostrum vocibus sedulis omnes imploremus,
9b. Ut a dextris Patris qui sedet, Spiritum mittat nobis sanctum,
10. In fine sæculi, ipse quocque semper sit nobiscum.