Haben wir das Gute empfangen

Here is my adaptation of the funeral responsory, “Haben wir das Gute empfangen,” in ELGB #464, with Latin source, “Si bona suscepimus,” ELGB #465. The German text from Luther’s version of Job 1:21; 2:10, based on the Latin original, was used with a setting by Bartholomäus Gesius in 1605 and the song included thus the Gotha Cantional 1648, etc., from which it came into the Buffalo Synod Hymnal. The Common Service Book provides a brief form from the KJV rendering of Job, omitting the text “Naked came I . . .” The musical edition includes an adaptation of Gesius’ melody (dated 1605 here) for this abbreviated text. Here, then, I provide a text slightly altered to follow the German more closely and to allow some semblance of the Gesius melody, whose setting professional musicians may certainly try their hand at adapting better, and will no doubt be more successful.

 

 

R. IF we have received good  at the hand of the LORD,
why should we not also suffer evil?
‡ The LORD hath given,  the LORD hath taken away.
As it hath pleased the Lord,  so is it done.
Blessed be the name of the LORD. 
V. Naked came I out of my mother’s womb,  naked shall I return thither.
‡ The LORD hath given, the LORD hath taken away, &c.

Translation adapted from the Bible, the Authorized Verson (King James) and Douay-Rheims.

COMMON SERVICE BOOK:

Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord,
and shall we not receive evil?
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.

GERMAN

Haben wir das Gute empfangen
aus der Hand des Herrn,
warum sollten wir auch das Böse nicht leiden?
Der Herr hat es gegeben,
der Herr hat es genommen;
wie es dem Herrn gefället, so ist es geschehn,
der Name des Herrn sie gelobet.
Ich bin nackend von meiner Mutter Leibe geboren,
nackend müs ich wieder hinfahren.

2 Der Herr hat es gegeben, etc.

LATIN

Si bona suscepimus de manu Dei,
mala quare non Suscipiamus?
Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit,
sicut Deo placuit, ita factum est.
Sit nomen Domin benedictum.
Nudus egressus sum de utero matirs meae,
et nudus revertar illue.

2 Dominus dedit, etc.

Domine Rex, Deus, Abraham

Here is my suggested rendering of the supplicatory Responsory pro serenitate/pluviam, “Domine Rex, Deus, Abraham” in ELGB #273, evidently based on 1 Kings 18:36, 37, 45, a “prayer of the Christian congregation in time of need, for rain or fair weather.” This Latin text is in origin an ancient Antiphon for Litany processions which concluded with an Alleluia, and was evidently taken by Grabau from the Pomeranian Church Order, where it is found re-worked as a Responsory. Grabau indicates that the German version is found in the same Buffalo Synod hymnal as #435 (“Herr Gott, Schöpfer aller Dinge”). The English translation here is based on that of Blunt in his Annotated Book of Common Prayer. No melody is indicated in the hymnal for the Latin text, though the German designates “proper melody.” Grabau curiously numbers the phrases of the Responsory in the manner of hymn stanzas, and perhaps intends the whole to be spoken or sung in unison, or more likely, sung to the standard Agenda tones used for Responsorial singing otherwise (i.e., the versicle tone). As an illustration of the original Antiphon melody, I include that of Cantica Sacra, Magdeburg 1613 (Bezeli), which includes both options (serenitatem / pluviam):

 

℟. O LORD, King, God of Abraham, give us fair weather (or rain) over the face of the earth:
†. That this people may learn that Thou art the Lord our God.
℣. Arise, O Lord, deliver us and defend us for Thy name’s sake.
†. That this people may learn that Thou art the Lord our God.
Amen. 

LATIN

Domine Rex, Deus Abraham, dona nobis serenitatem (pluviam) super faciem terrae:

2 Ut discat populus iste, quia Tu es Dominus Deus noster.

3 Exsurge Domine, libera nos et protege nos propter nomen tuum.

4 Ut discat populus iste, &c. Amen.

Siehe! wie dahin stirbt der Gerechte

Below is my translation of the choral piece “Siehe! wie dahin stirbt der Gerechte” (J. Gallus, d. 1591), drawn from Isaiah 57:1 and Psalm 72:17 and 76:2. The well-known SSAB setting for choir appears in Layriz, Kern IV, p. 102 (without attribution) as a choral treatment of the Responsory Ecce quomodo traditionally chanted on Good Friday:

 

Monatsschrift für Gottesdienst und kirchliche Kunst (MGkK) 1913 refers to two editions of Gallus, a Latin, and a 2nd, German edition. Both are given in Lützel’s Chorgesangbuch, no. 41, pp. 124–128. Note that the German text is different from that given above. (Both the Latin and German are included in Grabau’s hymnal for the Buffalo Synod, 2nd ed., nos. 120–121.)

LOOK ye, how the righteous man doth perish,
And no man the fact will cherish, (x2)
Godly men are snatched away,
And none will consider aye!
From the vile world of sin now severed
By death he’s delivered (x2)

His name will live always and will vanish never. (x2)
In peace beneath the earth he’s planted,
And in Zion will his dwelling be granted.
His name will live always and will vanish never. (x2)

 Tr. M. Carver, 2022.

GERMAN

Siehe! wie dahin stirbt der Gerechte,
und niemand ist ders bedächte. (x2)
Fromme werden hingerafft
und niemand ist ders betracht!
von dem sündlichen Tun und Wesen
ist er nun genesen:

Sein Name wird bleiben und gar nicht verwesen. (x2)
Im Friede ruhet er in der Erden,
und in Zion wird sein Wohnung ihm werden.
Sein Name wird bleiben und gar nicht verwesen. (x2)

LUTHER BIBEL (for comparison)

Aber der Gerechte kombt umb

und niemand ist, der es zu Hertzen nehme,

Und heilige Leute werden auffgerafft,

und niemand achtet drauff.

Denn die Gerechten werden weggerafft

fur dem Unglück,

und die richtig fur sich gewandelt haben,

komen zum Friede, und rugen in iren Kamern.

V. Zu Salem ist sein Gezelt und seine Wonunge zu Zion.