Christ Überwinder für uns arme Sünder

 My next new hymn translation for Lochner’s Easter-book is “Christ Überwinder für uns arme Sünder” (Anon., ca. 1750?), which opens Devotion 21. Lochner calls it an ancient Easter hymn; Knapp and Lange attribute it to the Bohemian Brethren. But the hymn does not appear in their early hymnals. I find it earliest in Burg (Prussia Gsb) 1751, where it is titled simply “Ancient Easter Hymnus.” Hymnus indicates that it is a translation of a Latin hymn. It is of course already clear that it is a translation of the ancient hymn “Vita sanctorum,” which may be noted in Kern’s hymnal, no. 377, the earlier translation of which begins in German “Der Heiligen Leben.”

Mel.: Christ Überwinder / Vita sanctorum
 

CHRIST, Victor holy
For all sinners lowly,
Camest from heaven,
Into death wast given
For us offended,
On the cross suspended,
To hell descended.

2 At the third dawning
After cross and groaning
Thou wast arisen
From death’s bonds and prison,
Which having riven,
Thou our life in heaven
Thereby hast given.

3 Christ, Thou art worthy
Of praise, laud, and glory,
Sung with rejoicing
Tongues, Thy praises voicing,
For Thy great favor,
Who didst us deliver
From ills forever.

4 This Paschal gladness
May we, free from sadness,
Keep ever purely,
That we may stand surely
At judgment’s giving
Paschal crowns receiving,
With Thee e’er living.

Translation © 2025 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Christ, Überwinder,
für uns arme Sünder,
die wir verloren,
bist du Mensch geboren,
in Tod gegangen,
hast am Kreuz gehangen,
die Höll gefangen.

2 Am dritten Tage
nach der Kreuzesklage
bist du erstanden
von des Todes Banden,
hast dadurch eben
das ewge Leben
uns wieder gegeben.

3 Lob, Preis und Ehre,
Jesu, lieber Herre,
Sei dir gesungen
mit fröhlichen Zungen
für deine Gnaden,
daß du uns entladen
von allem Schaden.

4 Laß frei vom Leide
diese Osterfreude
uns stets begehen,
daß wir endlich stehen
vor deinem Throne,
und die Osterkrone
uns werd zum Lohne!

Der Heiligen Leben

Here is my translation of the Easter hymn, “Der Heiligen Leben” (Thomas Müntzer, d. 1525), in ELGB #132, first in the author’s Deutsch Evangelisch Messze (Alstedt, 1524). It is a reworking of the Latin Easter hymn “Vita sanctorum, decus angelorum,” of which at least two translations exist. Another reworking in Latin was translated by myself several years ago. Fischer says that Johann Spangenberg is often specified as author (as it is in the Buffalo Synod hymnal), since the hymn is included in his Kirchengesenge (1545). While the original Latin has little rhyme, or perhaps a hint of final-vowel rhyme here and there, Müntzer attempts to rhyme couplets, adjacent or alternate, with slightly more frequency, nevertheless without regularity from stanza to stanza. Since my translation of the Latin was unrhyming, I have chosen here to normalize Müntzer’s rhyme scheme as AA BB CC DDD, though he has generally used only 2-3 rhyming pairs and left at least one line unrhymed. The form of the hymn is not found in the first sources suggested by Fischer, which are Mass books, but rather in Muntzer’s Kirchen-Amt, or Office book, for Vespers in Eastertide. The ancient form of the melody is found in my translation of the Latin here. Note: in the illustration of Muntzer’s melody, there is an extra note given for the second syllable of “außerwelten” which is not used in his other stanzas.

 

THE saints here living
E’er for God are striving,
His by His choosing,
Worldly ways refusing,
Follow their Savior.
For He died, God’s favor
To gain them ever.

2 O Christ, from heaven
Let Thy grace be given,
And so renew us,
With Thy life imbue us,
This paschal season,
Shunning worldly reason,
And heav’nly treason.

3 Death’s mighty Breaker,
Christ, God’s Son, the Maker,
In glory risen,
From death’s dreary prison,
Freedman hath wrought us,
With His blood hath bought us,
His kingdom brought us.

4 To heaven raisèd,
King of all, high-praisèd;
He, our true Brother,
Throned beside His Father,
Shall, on returning,
Give to each his earning,
Each heart discerning.

5 Mortal, go yonder
In thy mind and ponder,
That Judgment ever,
Fixing on thy Savior
In faith unfeigning,
Thus forever gaining
Joy without waning.

6 Father, this grant us
By the Savior sent us,
That we endeavor
To obey Thee ever
In all our living,
From the Spirit’s giving
Power receiving.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Der Heilgen Leben
thut stets nach Gott streben
und all' Auserwählten
hie auf dieser Erden
sollen Christ gleich werden.
Drum ist Er gestorben,
solch's zu erwerben.

2 O Christ vom Himmel!
erneu uns von innen
in diesen heil'ge
österlichen Tagen
uns zu entschlagen
der Werlet Freuden
ernstlich zu meiden.

3 Des Todes Kämpfer,
Christ, Gottes Sohn, Schöpfer,
mit Preis erstanden,
von des todes Banden
uns erlöset hat
mit theuerbarem Lohne,
also gewonnen.

4 Nun ist erhoben
sein Gewalt mit Loben,
sitzet zu seines
ew'gen Vaters Rechten,
endlich zu richten
aller Menschen Bosheit
mit ernstem Urtheil.

5 O Mensch bedenk' das
fleißig ohn' Unterlaß,
dein Gemüth stetig
zu Ihm richt' festiglich
mit ganzem Glauben,
daß du seiner Freuden
nicht werd'st beraubet.

6 Das gieb uns Vater
durch Christ deinen Zarten,
daß wir Deines Willens
mögen so erwarten,
in unserm Leben
Deines Geistes Wirkung
empfindlich werden.

Vita sanctorum, decus angelorum (Easter)

Here is my translation of the anonymous hymn "Vita sanctorum, decus angelorum" as found in Bezelius' Magdeburg cathedral cantionale (1613). It is appointed for Vespers on Easter (and Easter week). The title is similar to another hymn for Michaelmas, so I borrow the initial wording of the more popular translation for this one, so as to imitate the allusion in English. The melody in Bezelius is the same as that of the Michaelmas hymn.

LIFE AND fair glory of the holy angels,
 Life of the faithful, who as one adore Thee:
Christ, who didst conquer death and hell forever
By Thine own dying:

2.  Over Thy servants, joyful in Thy triumph,
Keep Thy protection in this peaceful season,
In which Thy holy feast is celebrated
Throughout creation.

3.  That Easter morning, Thou, from hell arising,
Didst as the Victor free a host unnumbered,
And, thence ascending, brought’st Thine earthen body
O’er starry ethers.

4.  Now in the highest, Thou art Lord all-glorious,
Greatly exalted God above the heavens,
From whence returning, Thou on men shalt render
Judgment eternal.

5.  Lift up, we pray Thee, our poor hearts to heaven
Where Thou art seated at the Father’s right hand,
Nor cast us downward in the Resurrection
To endless torment.

6.  Hear us, O Jesus, merciful Redeemer,
With God the Father and the Holy Spirit
One God in glory, majesty, and powèr,
Reigning forever. Amen.

Translation © 2013 Matthew Carver.

LATIN
1. Vita sanctorum decus angelorum,
vita cunctorum pariter piorum,
Christe qui mortis moriens ministrum
exsuperasti.

2. Tu, tuo laetos famulos trophaeo,
nunc in his serva placidis diebus,
in quibus sanctum celebratur omnem
Pascha per orbem.

3. Pascha, quo victor rediens ab imo,
atque cum multis aliis resurgens,
ipse susceptam super alta carnem
astra levasti.

4. Nunc in excelsis Dominus refulgens,
et supra caelos Deus elevatus,
inde venturus homo judicatus,
denuo judex.

5. Corda tu sursum modo nostra tolle,
quo Patri dexter resides in alto:
ne resurgentes facias in ima
praecipitari.

6. Hoc Pater tecum, simul et sacratus
praestet amborum, pie Christus, Flatus,
cum quibus regnas Deus unus omni
jugiter aevo.