O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid

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O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid

Author: Johann von Rist
Published in 48 hymnals

Piano/Organ
	Lenten Music for Manuals, Set 1

Representative Text

1 O Traurigkeit,
o Herzeleid!
Ist das nicht zu beklagen?
Gott des Vaters einig Kind,
wird ins Grab getragen.

2 O große Noth!
Gott selbst liegt tot,
am Kreuz ist er gestorben,
hat dadurch das Himmelreich
uns aus Lieb' erworben.

3 O Menschenkind,
nur deine Sünd'
hat dieses angerichtet,
da du durch die Missetat
warest ganz vernichtet.

4 Dein Bräutigam,
das Gotteslamm,
liegt hier mit Blut beflossen,
welches er ganz mildiglich
hat für dich vergossen.

5 O süßer Mund.
o Glaubensgrund,
wie bist du doch zerschlagen!
Alles, was auf Erden lebt,
muß dich ja beklagen.

6 O lieblich Bild,
schön, zart und mild.
du Söhnlein der Jungfrauen,
niemand kann dein heißes Blut
sonder Reu' anschauen!

7 O selig ist,
zu jeder Frist,
der dieses recht bedenket,
wie der Herr der Herrlichkeit
wird ins Grab gesenket!

8 O Jesu, du,
mein' Hilf' und Ruh',
ich bitte dich mit Tränen:
Hilf, daß ich mich bis ins Grab
nach dir möge sehnen!

Source: Kleines Gesang- und Gebetbuch #20

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Author: Johann von Rist

Rist, Johann, son of Kaspar Rist, pastor at Ottensen, near Hamburg, was born at Ottensen, March 8, 1607, and from his birth was dedicated to the ministry. After passing through the Johanneum at Hamburg and the Gymnasium Illustre at Bremen, he matriculated, in his 21st year, at the University of Rinteln, and there, under Josua Stegmann (q. v.), he received an impulse to hymn-writing. On leaving Rinteln he acted as tutor to the sons of a Hamburg merchant, accompanying them to the University of Rostock, where he himself studied Hebrew, Mathematics and also Medicine. During his residence at Rostock the terrors, of the Thirty Years War almost emptied the University, and Rist himself also lay there for weeks ill of the pestilence. After his r… Go to person page >

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First Line:	O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid
Author:	Johann von Rist
Language:	German
Notes:	Polish translation: See "O żalości! O gorzkości"
Copyright:	Public Domain

French

Kirchengesangbuch fuer Evangelisch-Lutherische Gemeinden ungeanderter Augsburgischer Konfession #ad323

German

10 shown out of 43

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Notes

Suggested tune: O TRAURIGKEIT
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O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid. J. Rist. [Easter Eve.] First published in the Erste Zehen of his Himlische Liedert, Lüneburg, 1641, p. 13, in 8 stanzas of 5 lines, entitled “A sorrowful funeral hymn on the mournful entombment of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to be sung on Good Friday," and with this note at p. 16:—

”The first verse of this funeral hymn, along with its devotional melody, came accidentally into my hands. As I was greatly pleased with it, I added the other seven as they stand here, since I could not be a party to the use of the other verses."

The original hymn appeared in the Würzburg Gesang-Buch (Roman Catholic), 1628, in 7 stanzas. The stanza adopted by Rist is there:—

"0 Trawrigkeit,
0 Hertzenleyd,
Ist dass dann nicht zu klagen:
Gottes Vatters einigs Kind,
Wird zum Grab getragen."

The hymn in this form (i.e. stanza i. as in the 1628, and stanzas ii.-viii. by Rist) by its simplicity and force obtained speedy popularity in Germany; passed into Cruger's Praxis, 1656, No. 161, and most later books, and is No. 112 in the Unverfälscher Leidersegen, 1851. Its popularity was greatly aided by the plaintive melody, which appeared with the original hymn in 1628. Translated as:—
1. O darkest woe! This, omitting stanzas ii., vi., is by Miss Winkworth, given in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 54, with the original melody. Repeated in her Christian Singers, 1869, p. 191, and in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880, No. 78.
2. O grief, O woe. A good translation, omitting stanzas vi., vii., contributed by E. Thring to the Uppingham and Sherborne School Hymn Book, 1874, No. 83.
Other translations are, (1) "O boundless grief," by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 19. (2) "O grief of heart," as No. 301 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754. (3) "O deepest grief," based on the 1754, as No. 119 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789 (1849, No. 150). [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]