Sunday, December 22, 2024

"Gott sei uns gnädig und" (#172)

German text in the Gesangbuch:
1 Gott sei uns gnädig und barmherzig,
und geb uns seinen göttlichen Segen.

2 Er laß über uns sein Antlitz leuchten,
daß wir auf Erden erkennen seine Wege.

3 Es segne uns Gott, unser Gott,
es segne uns Gott und geb uns seinen Frieden.  Amen.
My prose translation:
1 May God be merciful and compassionate to us
And give us His divine blessing.

2 He lets His face shine over us
So that we on earth recognize His ways.

3 God, our God, blesses us;
God blesses us and gives us His peace.  Amen.
Part of the second verse refers to Numbers 6:25:  "The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you."

There are no author or publication data for this text.

As far as I can tell, this hymn isn't in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, or The Lutheran Service Book.  According to the Gesangbuch, the text is sung to "its own tune."

Sunday, December 15, 2024

"Es wollt uns Gott genädig" (#171)

German text in the Gesangbuch:
1 Es wollt uns Gott genädig sein
und seinen Segen geben;
sein Antlitz uns mit hellem Schein
erleucht zum ewgen Leben,
daß wir erkennen seine Werke
und was ihm liebt auf Erden,
und Jesus Christus Heil und Stärk
bekannt den Heiden werden
und sie zu Gott bekehren.

2 So danken, Gott, und loben dich
die Heiden über alle,
und alle Welt die freue sich
und sing mit großem Schalle,
daß du auf Erden Richter bist
und läßst die Sünd nicht walten,
dein Wort die Hut und Weide ist,
die alles Volk erhalten,
in rechter Bahn zu wallen.

3 Es danke, Gott, und lobe dich
das Volk in guten Thaten;
das Land bringt Frucht und bessert sich,
dein Wort is wohl gerathen.
Uns segen Vater und der Sohn,
uns segen Gott der Heilig Geist,
dem alle Welt die Ehre thu,
für ihm sich fürchte allermeist.
Nun sprecht von Herzen:  Amen.

Ps. 67.  Dr. M. Luther, 1524.
My prose translation:
1 God wants to be merciful to us
And give His blessing;
With bright light His face
Shines on us to eternal life
So that we recognize His works
And what loves Him on earth
And [so that] Jesus Christ as salvation and strength
Will be confessed to the heathens
And convert them to God.

2 So, God, the heathens praise You
Above all,
And the whole world [praises You], which rejoices
And sings with a great sound,
That You are judge on the earth
And do not let sin prevail;
Your Word is protection and pasture,
Which preserves all people
To go in the right path.

3 The people thank and praise You, God,
In good deeds;
The land brings forth fruit and improves;
Your word is well met.
The Father and the Son bless us;
God the Holy Ghost blesses us,
To Whom all the world does honor;
Fear Him most of all.
Now speak from the heart:  Amen.

Ps. 67.  Dr. M. Luther, 1524.
Part of the first verse ("sein Antlitz uns mit hellem Schein / erleucht" "With bright light His face / Shines on us") seems to be taken from Numbers 6:25:  "The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you."

This hymn appears as "May God Bestow on Us His Grace" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#500) and The Lutheran Service Book (with two tunes, #823 and #824) and as "May God Embrace Us with His Grace" in Lutheran Worship (#288).  In all of these, and as the Gesangbuch notes, the text is sung to "its own tune," although somehow it changed from "Es wollt..." to "Es wolle..." in LW and LSB.  LSB also pairs it with "Elvet Banks" (#824).

I haven't gotten that far yet in recording the tunes in TLH, but here's an arrangement of the tune from Telemann's Fast allgemeines Evangelisch-Musicalisches Lieder-Buch:

Sunday, December 8, 2024

"Es spricht der Unweisen M." (#170)

German text in the Gesangbuch:
1 Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl:
den rechten Gott wir meinen;
doch ist ihr Herz Unglaubens voll,
mit That sie ihn verneinen.
Ihr Wesen ist verderbet zwar,
für Gott ist es ein Greuel gar,
es thut ihr keiner kein gut.

2 Gott selbst vom Himmel sah herab
auf aller Menschen Kinden;
zu schauen sie, er sich begab,
ob er jemand würd finden,
der sein Verstand gerichtet hätt,
mit Ernst nach Gottes Worten thät
und fragt nach seinem Willen.

3 Da war niemand auf rechter Bahn,
sie warn all ausgeschritten;
ein jeder ging nach seinem Bahn
und hielt verlorne Sitten.
Es thät ihr keiner doch kein gut,
wiewohl gar viel betrog der Muth,
ihr Thun sollt Gott gefallen.

4 Wie lang wollen unwissen sein,
die solche Müh aufladen,
und fressen dafür das Volk mein
und nährn sich mit seim Schaden?
Es steht ihr Trauen nicht auf Gott,
sie rufen ihm nicht in der Noth,
sie wolln sich selbst versorgen.

5 Darum ist ihr Herz nimmer still
und steht allzeit in Furchten;
Gott bei den Frommen bleiben will,
dem sie mit Glauben g'horchen.
Ihr aber schmäht des Armen Rath
und höhnet alles, was er sagt,
daß Gott sein Trost ist worden.

6 Wer soll Israel, dem armen,
zu Zion Heil erlangen?
Gott wird sich seins Volks erbarmen
und lösen die Gefangen.
Das wird er thun durch seinen Sohn,
davon wird Jakob Wonne han
und Israel sich freuen.

Ps. 14. Dr. M. Luther, 1524.
My prose translation:
1 The mouth of the unwise speaks:
We refer to the true God;
Yet their heart is full of unbelief;
With deeds, they deny Him.
But their being is corrupted;
For God, it is an absolute horror;
It does no one any good.

2 God Himself lookt down from heaven
On all the children of men;
He proceeded to consider them,
Whether He would find someone
Who had directed his mind,
Would act with earnestness according to God's words,
And asks after His will.

3 There was no one on the right path;
They had all walkt out;
One went after his own path
And kept lost customs.
But it does none of them any good,
Although daring completely deceived many;
Their actions should please God.

4 How long will those loaded with such trouble
Be unknowing
And for it devour my people
And feed themselves with its harm?
Their trust does not stand in god;
They do not call Him in their distress;
They want to take care of themselves.

5 Therefore, their heart is never still
And always stands in fear;
God will remain with the devout,
Those who obey in faith.
You, however, disparage the advice of the poor
And mock everything that he says,
That God is become his comfort.

6 Who should attain salvation
For Israel, for the poor, in Zion?
God will have pity on His people
And release the captives.
He will do this through His Son;
From this Jacob will have delight
And Israel will rejoice.

Ps. 14. Dr. M. Luther, 1524.
I left "wohl" out of my translation of the first verse.  I often don't know quite how to translate it (translating it as "well" certainly doesn't fit this context), and its purposes here seem to be just to fill out the line and set up the rhyme for "voll."

Normally, I would translate "schauen" (in the second verse) as "look."  I'd already translated "sah" as "lookt," though, so I translated "schauen" as "consider."

I had to shuffle some elements in the first two lines of the fourth verse to get a smoother English translation.  I'm not sure if it's very clear, but the antecedent of "its" ("And feed themselves with its harm?") is "my people" from the previous line.

I also shuffled some elements in the first two lines of the sixth verse.

As far as I can tell, this hymn isn't in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, or The Lutheran Service Book.  According to the Gesangbuch, the text is sung to "its own tune."  Here's an arrangement from Telemann's Fast allgemeines Evangelisch-Musicalisches Lieder-Buch:

Sunday, December 1, 2024

"Erhalt uns deine Lehre" (#169)

German text in the Gesangbuch:
1 Erhalt uns deine Lehre,
Herr, zu der letzten Zeit,
erhalt dein Reich, vermehre
dein edle Christenheit;
erhalt standhaften Glauben,
der Hoffnung Leitsternstrahl;
laß uns dein Wort nicht rauben
in diesem Jammerthal.

2 Erhalt dein Ehr und wehre
dem, der dir widerspricht,
erleucht, Herr, und bekehre,
allwissend ewig Licht,
was dich bisher nicht kennet,
entdecke doch der Welt
(der du dich Licht genennet),
was einig dir gefällt.

3 Erhalt, was du gebauet
und durch dein Blut erkauft,
was du dir hast vertrauet,
die Kirch, auf welch anlauft
der grimme Sturm des Drachen,
sei du ihr Schutz und Wall,
daß, ob die Welt will krachen,
sie nimmermehr verfall.

4 Erhalt, Herr, deine Schafe,
der grimme Wolf kommt an;
erwach aus deinem Schlafe,
weil niemand retten kann
ohn dich, du großer Hirte.
Leit uns auf gute Weid,
treib, nähr, erfreu, bewirthe
uns in der wüsten Haid.

5 Erhalt uns, Herr, dein Erbe,
dein werthes Heiligthum;
zerreiß, zerschmeiß, verderbe,
was wider deinen Ruhm.
Laß dein Gesetz uns führen,
gönn uns dein Himmelbrod [sic],
laß deinen Schmuck uns zieren,
heil uns durch deinen Tod.

6 Erhalt und laß uns hören
dein Wort, das selig macht,
den Spiegel deiner Ehren,
das Licht in dieser Nacht;
daß dieser Brunn uns tränke,
der Himmelsthau uns netz,
daß diese Richtschnur lenke,
der Honigseim ergötz.

7 Erhalt in Sturm und Wellen
dein Häuslein, laß doch nicht
uns Wind und Wetter fällen,
steur selbst dein Schiff und richt
den Lauf, daß wir erreichen
die Anfurt nach der Zeit,
und hilf uns Segel streichen
in selger Ewigkeit.

Adam Greigen, +1660.
My prose translation:
1 Preserve Your teaching for us,
Lord, to the last time;
Preserve Your kingdom; increase
Your noble Christendom;
Preserve steadfast faith,
The light of the guiding star of hope;
Let Your word not be taken away from us
In this vale of tears.

2 Preserve Your glory and resist
Those who speak against You;
Enlighten, Lord, and convert,
All-knowing, eternal Light,
Those who did not know You so far;
Discover still of the world
(Of which You are called the Light)
Those who please You.

3 Preserve what You have built
And bought by Your blood,
What You trust in for Yourself,
The church, on which runs
The fierce storm of the dragon;
May You be her protection and rampart
So that, if the world will burst,
She will nevermore fall.

4 Preserve, Lord, Your sheep;
The fierce wolf approaches;
Wake from Your sleep
Because no one can save
Without You, You great shepherd.
Lead us on good pasture,
Guide, nurture, gladden, feed
Us in the desolate heath.

5 Preserve us, Lord, Your heirs,
Your dear sacred ones;
Tear, smash, ruin
Whatever is against Your glory.
Let Your law lead us;
Allow us Your bread of Heaven;
Let Your jewelry adorn us;
Heal us by Your death.

6 Preserve and let us hear
Your word, which makes blessed,
The mirror of Your glory,
The light in this night;
So that this well waters us,
The dew of Heaven moistens us,
So that this guiding principle pilots;
The honey delights.

7 Preserve in storm and waves
Your household; let not
Wind and weather cut us down;
Pilot Your ship Yourself and direct
Its course, so that we reach
The haven after the time
And help us spread the sail
In blessed eternity.

Adam Greigen, +1660.
I translated "widerspricht" in the second verse as "speak against," which is somewhere in between my dictionary's suggestions of contradict and oppose.  At the end of the verse, I translated "was einig dir gefällt" as "those who please You," but it's literally something more like "what few please You."

"Erwach aus deinem Schlafe" ("wake from Your sleep") in the fourth verse sort of contradicts Psalm 121:4:  "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."  For "treib" later in the verse, my dictionary suggested "drive," but this seemed too intense for this context, so I translated it as "guide."

For "Heiligthum" in the fifth verse, my dictionary suggested "(holy) shrine," "(sacred) relic," and "something sacred."  I translated it as "sacred ones."

This hymn appears as "Preserve Thy Word, O Savior" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#264), albeit with the fourth verse omitted.  As far as I can tell, it's not in Lutheran Worship or The Lutheran Service Book.  The Gesangbuch notes that the text is sung to the tune "Herzlich thut mich verlang[en]."  Here's the TLH arrangement: