by Michael Weiße (c1488 - 1534)
Translation © by Linda Godry

Nun laßt uns den Leib begraben
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE SPA
Nun laßt uns den Leib begraben,
Bei dem wir kein'n Zweifel haben,
Er werd am letzten Tag aufstehn,
Und unverrücklich herfürgehn.

Erd ist er und von der Erden
Wird auch [zu Erd wieder]1 werden,
Und von Erden wieder aufstehn,
Wenn Gottes Posaun wird angehn.

Seine Seel lebt ewig in Gott,
Der sie allhier aus seiner Gnad
Von aller Sünd und Missetat
Durch seinen Bund gefeget hat.

Sein Arbeit, Trübsal, und Elend
Ist kommen zu ein'm guten End.
Er hat getragen Christi Joch,
Ist gestorben und lebet noch.

[Die Seele lebt]2 ohn alle Klag,
Der Leib schläft bis am letzten Tag,
An welchem ihn Gott verklären,
Und der Freuden wird gewähren.

Hier ist er in Angst gewesen,
Dort aber wird er genesen,
In ewiger [Freud]3 und Wonne
Leuchten wie die schöne Sonne.

Nun lassen wir ihn hier schlafen
Und gehn allsamt unser Straßen,
Schicken uns auch mit allem Fleiß
Denn der Tod kommt uns gleicher Weis.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   J. Brahms 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Brahms: "wieder zu Erd"
2 Brahms: "Die Seel, die lebt"
3 Brahms: "Freude"

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Linda Godry) , copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant funèbre", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfonso Sebastián) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2005-12-30
Line count: 28
Word count: 158

Now let us bury the body
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Now let us bury the body,
Which without a doubt
On resurrection day
Will rise in splendour.

For out of earth he was made
And to the earth he will return
And from it he will rise
When the Lord sounds the trumpet.

His soul will live forever in God,
Who in his mercy
Has swept it clear of
All sin and evil.

His work, sorrow, and misery
Has come to a good end.
He helped carry the Lord's burden,
Has died and yet is still alive.

The soul lives without sorrow,
The body sleeps until resurrection-day
When God transfigures him,
And gives him eternal bliss.

Here he was weighed down by fear,
There he will be at ease again,
In eternal peace and happiness
Radiant like the brilliant sun.

Now we leave him here at rest
And all go our separate ways,
Do our duties with eagerness
Until death comes to us without exception.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translation of title "Begräbnisgesang" = "Burial song"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2007 by Linda Godry, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2007-07-03
Line count: 28
Word count: 155