It's All About The Translation

[angelique510]

(The post "God's Phone Number" prompted me to post this. It is about our relationship, how we relate to, God.)




We all know this song. It is a beautiful hymn by J.S. Bach. I am learning to play it and was doing some research on the history of it. The original German lyrics were written by Martin Jahn.

Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben​

Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe,
o wie feste halt' ich ihn,
daß er mir mein Herze labe,
wenn ich krank und traurig bin.
Jesum hab' ich, der mich liebet
und sich mir zu eigen giebet,
ach drum laß' ich Jesum nicht,
wenn mir gleich mein Herze bricht.​

Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
Jesus wehret allem Leide,
er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne;
darum laß' ich Jesum nicht
aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.

​

We are most familiar with the English lyrics by Robert Bridges. This is what we hear at Christmas concerts and Celtic Woman does a popular version of it.

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings;
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.



​

My German is very rusty, but it didn't look to be saying the same thing to me. It looks like the translator was more interested in getting the words to fit the melody; regardless of whether or not the meaning was the same. It's pretty, but I wanted to know what the original lyrics were really saying. So I sat down and used several different translating programs and came up with this. I didn't concern myself with fitting the music. I wanted to know what the original author really meant.

Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life

I marvel at having Jesus.
I steadfastly cling to Him.
He refreshes my strength to hold Him
when I am weak in mind, body, or heart
The love I have for Jesus
is His own love, put into me.
So if I were to spurn Jesus
I would be destroying my own heart.

Jesus is, and will always be, my Joy,
my heart's comfort, and my essence.
Jesus, all suffering,
is my life force,
my eye's desire, and my sun.
He is the treasure and delight of my soul.
I will not turn from Jesus
my heart or my behavior.

​

I love it. The English translation sounds churchy. It fits in the big beautiful church buildings of old. The English words make me think of formal religion and of a distant and unknowable God. The literal translation of the German original speaks of a one-on-one relationship with personal God. God doesn't just live in huge cathedrals. He lives in each of us.

Be well,
~A

 

[Saintscruiser]

Wow, Angel! Wow! (I guess you could tell you bowled me over, there.)

I marvel at having Jesus.
I steadfastly cling to Him.
He refreshes my strength to hold Him
when I am weak in mind, body, or heart
The love I have for Jesus
is His own love, put into me.
So if I were to spurn Jesus
I would be destroying my own heart.

Jesus is, and will always be, my Joy,
my heart's comfort, and my essence.
Jesus, all suffering,
is my life force,
my eye's desire, and my sun.
He is the treasure and delight of my soul.
I will not turn from Jesus
my heart or my behavior.

My take on this translation is something I have always said.....Once saved always saved. To turn away from Jesus would be destroying myself, and that He is everything to me.....He is the treasure and delight of my soul. Since Jesus lives in us, we would destroy ourselves? No, why? Because He holds us, even when we feel our hands sweating, He refreshes our strength to hold on. Remember, Jesus' grip holds us, even when we 'feel' we have slipped from His grasp. This is awesome, Angel!