Theodore Brown Hewitt · 111 of 194

Commentary

The first hymn in the Psalmodia Germanica of Jacobi (1722) is a translation of Luther's "Nun kommt der Heiden Heiland" ("Now the Savior comes indeed"). The second place in the book is given to Gerhardt's "Wie soll ich dich empfangen" which is translated as " How shall I meet my Savior." In a rather quaint preface Jacobi writes:

"The present Specimen hopes for a charitable Allowance from those, that may happen to use it. A Version of this Kind lies under various Disadvantages, known only to those, who in any degree are acquainted with any Poetical Translations of this Kind. A great Deal is lost of the Life and Spirit of an Hymn, when it appears in another Language."

In this effort as well as in the case of "Befiehl du deine Wege" Jacobi has left out so much, and incorporated so many ideas of his own which are at variance with Gerhardt's theme that it is difficult to recognize its kinship with the original. The effect Gerhardt produces in the first line by the use of the direct form of address is entirely lost by Jacobi; also the translator creates an unpleasant impression by abruptly changing from the third person in the opening line to the second person in the next line.

Bishop Ryle has altered the last quatrain to this form:

Again, the diction of stanza two is particularly strange, at least to modern readers.

would be quite bewildering if we did not have at hand the German which is so forceful in its very simplicity:

It is plain that Jacobi had not much appreciation of the spirit of Gerhardt, for the distinctive touches of alliteration, repetition for emphasis, the prevailing note of joy and peace accompanying the Savior's advent are certainly not adequately reproduced. In fact the impression he leaves is almost one of gloom!

Contrast with this the translation by A. T. Russell, a cento of which (stanzas 1, 2, 7, 8, 10) is given in most American hymnals. Far more cheerful and more appropriate for the Advent season than anything in Jacobi are such lines as:

and

It is apt renderings like these that have won for Gerhardt a place in English hymnody.

Kelly's rendering (1867) is characteristically accurate, but, excepting such lines as:

and

it is uninspired and lacking in fervor.

Of the 20 hymns of Gerhardt which Miss Winkworth translated there are three for which she has made two renderings: "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden," "Nun ruhen alle Wälder," and for this Advent hymn. The earlier version (1855) of the Advent hymn omits only the third stanza ("Was hast du unterlassen"). The later one (1863) is written in the original metre for church use to be sung to the traditional melody "Wie soll ich dich empfangen" by Johann Crüger (1653) and contains but six stanzas. As Miss Winkworth was so thoroughly at home in the German she was able to reproduce a surprising number of details. Even the alliteration and repetition for emphasis of which Gerhardt is so fond find in her poem at least a partially corresponding place:

The original has been characterized as the best German Advent hymn and Miss Winkworth has transfused it in her earlier version undiminished into her own language so that it reads like an original poem. Her final quatrain is worthy of Gerhardt: