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O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid! Ist das nicht zu beklagen? GOtt des Vaters einig Kind Wird in's Grab getragen. O große Noth! GOtt Selbst [liegt]1 todt, Am Kreuz' ist Er gestorben, Hat dadurch das Himmelreich Uns aus Lieb' erworben. O Menschenkind! Nur deine Sünd' Hat dieses angerichtet, [Wie]2 du durch die Missethat Warest ganz vernichtet. Dein Bräutigam, Das GOtteslamm Liegt hier mit Blut beflossen, Welches er ganz mildiglich Hat für dich vergossen O süßer Mund, O Glaubensgrund, Wie bist Du doch zerschlagen! Alles, was auf Erden lebt, Muß Dich ja beklagen. O lieblich Bild, Schön zart und mild, Du Söhnlein der Jungfrauen! Niemand kann Dein heißes Blut Sonder Reu' anschauen. [Hochselig]3 ist Zu [jeder]4 Frist, Der dieses recht bedenket, Wie der Herr der Herrlichkeit Wird in's Grab [versenket]5! O Jesu, Du Mein' [Hülf']6 und Ruh', Ich bitte Dich mit Thränen: Hilf, daß ich mich bis in's Grab [Möge nach dir]7 sehnen!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Note: The title is actually much longer: "Ein trauriger Grabgesang, in welchem allen gottseligen Herzen das traurige Begräbnis unseres Hochtheuren Seligmachers Jesu Christi andächtig zu betrachten wird vorgestellt, und kann dieses Lied vornehmlich am stillen Freitag, wie auch den Sonnabend vor Ostern gesungen werden."
The first stanza of this text is from the poem "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid" by Friedrich Spee. Rist wrote that he happened to come across this first stanza quite by chance and was inspired to add to it.
Confirmed with Dr. Theodor Hansen, Johann Rist und seine Zeit. Aus den Quellen dargestellt, Halle: Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, 1872, page 191.
1 Herzogenberg: "ist"2 Herzogenberg: "Da"
3 Herzogenberg: "O selig"
4 Herzogenberg: "aller"
5 Herzogenberg: "gesenket"
6 Herzogenberg uses the modern spelling: "Hilf' "
7 Herzogenberg: "Nach dir möge"
Authorship:
- by Johann Rist (1607 - 1667), "Ein trauriger Grabgesang,", written 1641 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Leopold) Heinrich (Picot de Peccaduc), Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843 - 1900), "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid ", op. 102 no. 3, published 1898 [ four-part chorus a cappella ], from Vier Choral-Motetten für vierstimmigen Chor a capella, no. 3, Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2012-04-04
Line count: 40
Word count: 150
Oh sadness, Oh heartache! Is that not something to lament? God the Father's only Child Is being borne to His grave! Oh great misery! God Himself [lies]1 dead, He died upon the cross, Out of love thereby He secured For us the Kingdom of Heaven. Oh human! Your sin alone Has caused this, [How]2 through these misdeeds You were utterly destroyed. Your bridegroom, The Lamb of God, Lies here covered in blood, Which He with utter meekness Spilled for you. Oh sweet mouth, Oh foundation of faith, How hast Thou been battered! Everything that lives upon earth Must lament Thee. Oh lovely image, Beautifully delicate and gentle, Thou Son of the Virgin! No one can gaze upon Thy still warm blood without rue. [Greatly blessed]3 is, At all times, He who ponders this correctly, How the Lord of Glory Is being lowered into the grave! Oh Jesus, Thou My help and peace, I beg Thee with tears: Help me that I, unto my grave, May yearn for you!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
"Ein trauriger Grabgesang," = "A sad funeral song,"
"O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid " = "Oh sadness, oh heartache!"
Note: The title of the poem is actually much longer: "A sad funeral song, in which the sad burial of our very dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, is depicted for all pious hearts to contemplate, and this song may be sung primarily on the quiet Friday, as well as on the Saturday before Easter."
1 Herzogenberg: "is"2 Herzogenberg: "Since"
3 Herzogenberg: "Oh blessed"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Sharon Krebs, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Rist (1607 - 1667), "Ein trauriger Grabgesang,", written 1641
This text was added to the website: 2023-01-15
Line count: 40
Word count: 168