Friday, June 24, 2011

FW: Aeterno gratias Patri

Cantemus

 

Feed: HYMNOGLYPT
Posted on: Friday, June 24, 2011 1:18 PM
Author: Matt Carver (Matthaeus Glyptes)
Subject: Aeterno gratias Patri

 

Here is my translation of "Aeterno gratias Patri" (P. Melanchthon), a hymn for the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist, as found in Lossius' Psalmodia (1579). Below is his version of the melody followed by an unidentified second version.

 

 



NOW UNTO God the Father raise
All churches songs of thanks and praise,
For John, the herald of His Word,
Whom God hath sent and we have heard.

2. He bade men turn from sin and pride,
The haughty spirits terrified
With fearful warning that the Son
Would come to judge the earth anon.

3. He called the broken to believe,
And life and comfort to receive;
The Lamb he showed, alone who would
Appease God's wrath and shed His blood.

4. These teachings he, with spirit bold
Imparting, thus the Christ foretold,
And as a newer Sun drew nigh,
The very Dayspring from on high.

5. No way the Pharisees could find
His spirit strong to break or bind;
Elijah true, he filled his task
The hypocrites thus to unmask.

6. We pray Thee, Father God in heav'n,
Our heart and spirit to sustain
That we by faith may evermore
Believe the witness that John bore.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2011.

LATIN

Aeterno gratias Patri
Omnes canant Ecclesiae
Quod nuntium verbi sui
Johannem nobis miserit.

Hic mores exuit malos [Hic exui mores malos]
Jussit, metuque judicis
Mox adfuturi terruit,
Superbas mentes omnium.

Rursumque perculsas metu,
In spem vitae certae vocat,
Et monstrat agnum digito,
Qui placat unicus Deum.

Haec ille firmo pectore
Docet, Christumque praedicat
Venire, ceu solem novum,
Prodire aurora nunciat.

Nec Pharisaei Spiritum
Fregerunt ingentem viri,
Helias alter hic fuit,
Hypocritas dum arguit.

Te summe rogamus Pater,
Ut corda nostra suscites,
Ut vere possint credere
Johannes testimonio. Amen.



GERMAN

Dem Vater in des HImmels Thron,
Lobsingen alle Kirchen schon,
daß er Johannem hat gesandt
durch ihn sein Wort gemacht bekannt.

2. Er hat Bußfertigkeit gelehrt,
und der Leut Sicherheit gewehrt,
die er bedräut mit Gotts Gericht
Daß denn lang sollt ausbleiben nicht.

3. Widrum der den die er erschreckt,
des Lebens starken Trost erweckt,
daß er das Lamm mit fingern zeigt,
daß uns den Vater macht geneigt.

4. Solches lehrt er und sagt dabei,
daß Christus nah vorhanden sei,
gleichwei der Morgenröt verlauf,
verkündigt daß die Sonn geh auf.

5. Mit nicht hat sich auch dieser Mann
die Phariseer schrecken lan,
der ein rechter Helias war,
die Gleißnerei straft offenbar.

6. Wir bitten dich du Vater gut,
Erweck in uns Herz, Sinn und Muth,
daß wir Johannis Zeugnis nu
mit starken Glauben fallen zu.


View article...