Monday, December 13, 2010

O Healer, Split the Heavens Up

Who: Friedrich von Spee was a German Jesuit priest who wrote this somewhat familiar hymn. Bugged by how far from the German the standard translation is, I decided to edit what could be edited and translate anew what couldn't.
Note: I'm not a great poet, so rhymes don't always come easy, hence 'yote' and 'worth,' meaning to 'become,' 'turn into,' and so on, akin to the German 'werden.'
Tune: LM (88 88); O HEILAND, REISS DIE HIMMEL AUF, LSB 355. (For the video link, skip to 1:30)

1. O Healer, split the heavens up;
Come down, come down and make walls drop;
Rip up the gates, the doors tear down;
Rip up the block to heaven's crown.

2. O God, a dew from heaven yote,
In dew come down, O Healer flow.
Relent, you clouds, and rain on us,
The King of Jacob's clan and house.

3. O Earth, give seed, give seed, O Earth,
So hill and dale can green all worth.
O Earth, a blooming bud here bring,
O Healer, from the earth now spring.

4. O Spring of hope, how long, how long?
When will You come with comfort strong?
O come, O come, Your throne forego;
Come, soothe us in our dale of woe.

5. O Morning Star, O gleaming Sun,
All of us want to see Your dawn.
O Sun, go forth, without Your light
We grope in gloom and dark of night.

6. Sin's dreadful doom before us lies;
Grim death looms fierce before our eyes.
O come, lead us with mighty hand
From outland to our Fatherland.

7. There shall we all our praises bring
And sing to You, Redeemer King;
There shall we love You and You bless
In time and in foreverness.

Friedrich von Spee
st. 1-3 tr. MDS
st. 4-7 tr. Martin L. Seltz, ed. MDS

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