Wohl einem Haus, wo Jesus Christ

 Here is my partial re-translation and supplement of C. Winkworth’s and ELHB’s translation of the Domestic Estate hymn “Wohl einem Haus, wo Jesus Christ” (Christoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil, d. 1784), Ev.-luth. Gsb #549, first appearing in the Schelborn ed. of von Pfeil’s works (1782) with the title: “Pleasant image of a household that serves the Lord. For the parents of Jesus, on the First Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany of Christ, 1746.” It was later included in hymnals of the 19th c., such as Württemberg, Lange, Halberstadt, Erfurt, and the Liederschatz. Since Winkworth’s version was incomplete, and partly unsatisfactory from the internal Lutheran perspective, I have supplied a few substitute stanzas. The appointed melody is “Wo Gott zum Haus nicht gibt sein Gunst.” (Note: A different full and amended version is given by Rev. C. Neuendorf here.)

 

OH, blest the house, whate’er befall,
Where Jesus Christ is All in All;
Yea, if He were not dwelling there,
How poor and dark and void it were!

2 Oh, blest, man, wife, and progeny,
Who live in faith’s true unity
And serve their Lord and Maker still
According to His Law and will!

3 Oh, blest, when such a house doth give
A model how the world should live:
That worship is vain work alone
Unless in spirit it be done!

4 Blest, where the incense of their pray’r
Continually doth fill the air,
And there is nothing seen or heard
Except God’s Work and Holy Word!

5 Blest, when in their mundane estate
They faithfully collaborate,
And each in his own work and way,
True concord’s Spirit doth display!

6 Oh, blest the parents who give heed
Unto their children’s foremost need,
And weary not of care or cost:
To them and heav’n shall none be lost!

7 Blest such a house! It prospers well;
In peace and joy the parents dwell,
And in their children’s lot is shown
How richly God can bless His own.

8 Then here will I and mine today
A solemn cov’nant make, and say:
Though all the world forsake Thy Word,
I and my house will serve the Lord.

Tr. sts. 2–5 © 2023 Matthew Carver.
Tr. sts. 1, 6-8, Composite from C. Winkworth and ELHB.

GERMAN

Wohl einem Haus, wo Jesus Christ
allein das All in Allem ist!
Ja wenn er nicht darinnen wär:
wie finster wär's, wie arm und leer!

2 Wohl, wenn der Mann, das Weib, das Kind
im rechten Glauben einig sind,
zu dienen ihrem Herrn und Gott
nach seinem willen und Gebot!

3 Wohl, wenn ein solches Haus der Welt
ein Vorbild vor die Augen stellt,
daß ohne Gottesdienst im Geist
das äußre Werk nichts ist und heißt!

4 Wohl, wenn das Räuchwerk im Gebet
beständig in die Höhe geht,
und man nichts treibet fort und fort,
als Gottes Werk und Gottes Wort!

5 Wohl, wenn im äußerlichen Stand
mit fleißiger getreuer Hand
ein Jegliches nach seiner Art
den Geist der Eintracht offenbart!

6 Wohl, wenn die Eltern gläubig sind,
und wenn sie Kind und Kindeskind
versäumen nicht am ewgen Glück!
Dann bleibet ihrer keins zurück.

7 Wohl solchem Haus! denn es gedeiht:
die Eltern werden hocherfreut,
und ihren Kindern sieht man's an,
wie Gott die Seinen segnen kann.

8 So mach ich denn zu dieser Stund
sammt meinem Hause diesen Bund:
Wich alles Volk auch von ihm fern,
ich und mein Haus stehn bei dem Herrn!

Sei gegrüßt, Jesu, du einiger Trost

Here is my translation of “Sei gegrüßt, Jesu, du einiger Trost,” the German rendering and adaptation of O Crux Ave (the 9th stanza, perhaps a late addition, of the Latin hymn “Vexilla Regis Prodeunt”), included by Kunrad Michael von Nordhausen (1560–?) in a collection of hymns for the year, later in the Buffalo Synod hymnal, ELGB #117. Here, von Nordhausen has attempted to align the stanza more closely with Lutheran sensibilities (but cf. the version included in TLH, as st. 6, i.a.) by directing attention from the cross to the Crucified. His adaptation includes the Doxology in German as well. In making this notable adaptation, he follows earlier Lutheran Latin tradition, in which the Latin text “O Crux” was changed to “Christe,”and prayer is asked that Christians may have their righteousness increased, and sinners be given pardon—as seen in Lossius’ Psalmodia (1579, fol. 31a, e.g.):

   This may be compared with the current wording (since Pope Urban VIII’s revisions in 1629) of the Roman version: “O Crux ave, spes unica, / hoc Passionis tempore! / piis adauge gratiam, / reisque dele crimina.” Much of the sense is preserved here in the prayer to increase grace for the godly and to blot out crimes for sinners.

   While we have a few translations of the original in English, the differences in the first stanza and the doxology seem substantial or interesting enough to warrant this present post. The melody for the German was adapted from the original chant, the German form of which is seen above (from Liber Hymnorum, Emmanuel Press, 2016). A version with the music may be seen in Layriz's Kern IV, p. 101, in his suggested Good Friday service (on which Friedrich Lochner largely bases his). Note that, in keeping with von Nordhausen’s free rendering of the meter, the traditional neumes of the chant are broken as needed:

O Christ, our only comfort, hail!
In this Thine hour of great travail:
Give to the faithful steadfastness,
To sinners poor, Thy righteousness. (or: "Poor sinners with Thy mercy bless.")
   
O God, Thou Holy Trinity,
The Church, redeemed by th’ agony
Borne on the Cross, doth Thee adore!
Save us, Lord God, for evermore. Amen.

Tr. st. 1, M. Carver, 2022.

GERMAN

Sei gegrüßt Jesu, Du einiger Trost,
in dieser Zeit Deines Leidens groß,
gieb den Frommen Beständigkeit,
und den armen Sündern Gerechtigkeit. (var. Barmherzigkeit.)

O Gott, Du heilige Dreifaltigkeit,
Dich lobet alle Christenheit,
erlöst durch des Creuzes Bitterkeit,
mach uns selig Herr Gott in Ewigkeit. Amen.

TLH (tr. J. M. Neale)

O Cross, our one reliance, hail!
So may thy power with us avail
To give new virtue to the saint
And pardon to the penitent.

To Thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done,
Whom by the cross Thou dost restore,
Preserve, and govern evermore.

Magno salutis gaudio

Here is my translation of the ancient Palm Sunday processional hymn, “Magno salutis gaudio,” also known as “Magnum salutis gaudium” after one of the variants. The hymn comes to us from Gregory the Great, and so predates the current Palmarum processional, “Gloria laus et honor” of Theodulph, by about two centuries. Lossius (1579, fol. 65 verso) appoints this hymn for 1st Vespers of Palm Sunday in a cento of seven stanzas. A variety of centos appear in ancient uses, usually with a refrain or special antiphons. Rubrics in Lossius refer to the tune for “Deus Creator omnium” or “Christe qui lux es et dies.” I include another melody found in a Cistercian hymnal from the late 16th century.

LET age to age with great delight
Acclaim salvation’s cheering sight,
Since Jesus our Redeemer hath
Raised up the fainting world from death.

2. Six days before the Paschal feast
Nigh Bethany His journey ceased,
Where He with love, now three days o’er
Did Lazarus to life restore.

3. There Mary took of spikenard dear
The pound untainted, without peer,
Embalmed her Master’s blessèd feet
Bedewing them with teardrops sweet.

4. Then Jesus, highest Judge of all
Upon a colt, an ass’s foal,
Was pleased to sit, and thusly passed
To proud Jerusalem at last.

5. O marvelous that tender love,
O meekness rare of God above,
That He who made creation wide
On ass’s colt should deign to ride!

6. From tender palm the gath’ring throng
The new-cut branches bore along,
And crowding came into the way
To meet the King of endless day.

7. Praise, honor, and dominion be
To God the only Trinity:
To Father, Son and Spirit, One 

While everlasting ages run.

Translation © 2014 Matthew Carver; sts. 2–6, based on W.J. Copeland.

W.J. COPELAND (complete hymn):

Let age to age Hosannas sing, 

Glad shout of health and praise,
Now Jesus comes, Salvation's King,

Th' expiring world to raise.

Six days the Paschal night before
At Bethany He arriv'd,
Where, in His love, now three days o'er
He Lazarus reviv'd.

There Mary took of spikenard sweet
The precious pound and good,
Etnbalm'd her Master's Blessed Feet,
And with her tears bedew'd.

Then Jesus, Judge of Heaven Supreme,
On ass's colt He sate,
And on to proud Jerusalem
Advanc'd in solemn state.

O tender love how marvellous,
More wondrous meekness yet!
That earth's Creator deigneth thus
On ass's colt to sit.

'Twas He the Seer's clear spirit eyed,
And thrilling voice foretold,
When "Daughter, rise and shout" he cried,
"Shout, Sion, and behold!"

"Thy King doth come, yon lowly One,
"Fear not, Behold the sign,
 "On foal of ass He rideth on,
"Meek, patient, and benign."

From tender palm the gathering throng
The new-cut branches bring,
With olives green they haste along
To meet th' Immortal King;

Before, behind, in concourse run,
And in the Spirit's might,
"Hosanna" cry, "to David's Son
Hosanna in the height."

Some strip them of their garments gay
To deck the royal road,
Some with bright flowers bestrew the way
As less unmeet for God.

At His approach with thrill intense
The trembling city rang;
But Judah's golden innocence
His worthiest praises sang.

O let us thus run forth to greet
Th’ Almighty Judge and King,
And bearing palms of glory meet
With childlike spirit sing.

All honour, might, and sovranty 

To God Triune in Heaven,
To Father, Son and Spirit be 

Eternal glory given.

LATIN (Cento from Lossius):

Magno salutis gaudio
Laetetur omne seculum,
JESUS redemptor omnium
Sanavit orbem languidum.

2. Sex ante Paschae ferias,
Advenit in Bethaniam,
Ubi pie post triduum
Resuscitavit Lazarum.

3. Nardi Maria pistici
Sumpsit libram mox optimi.
Unxit beatos Domini
Pedes, rigando lacrymis.

4. Post haec jugalis asinae,
JESUS supernus arbiter,
Pullo sedebat , inclytam
Pergebat Hierosolymam.

5. O quam stupenda pietas,
Mira Dei clementia,
Sessor aselli fieri,
Dignatus autor seculi.

6. Ramos virentes sumpserat,
Palma recisos tenera,
Turba processit obviam,
Regi perenni plurima.

7. Honor, decus, imperium,
Sit Trinitati unicae,
Patri, Nato, Paracleto,
Per infinita secula, Amen.