Nun ruhen alle Wälder. P. Gerhardt. [Evening.] First published in the 3rd edition, 1648, of Crüger's Praxis Pietatis Melica, No. 15, in 9 stanzas of 6 lines: reprinted in Wackernagel's edition of his Geistliche Lieder, No. 102, and Bachmann's edition, No. 2; and included as No. 529 in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851. It is one of the finest of Gerhardt's hymns. Simple and homely in its style it took great hold of the hearts of the German people. Baron Bunsen (quoted by Fischer, ii. 126) says of it in the Evangelische Kirchenzeitung, Berlin, 1830:—
"Ever since its publication this hymn has been one of the most beloved and best known hymns of devout medi¬tation over the whole of Germany. Experienced and conceived in a truly childlike popular spirit, it unites with a rare naive simplicity of expression, a loftiness of thought, a depth of Christian experience, a grace of poetry, so that for this union of qualities it must rank as an enduring masterpiece among hymns."
This hymn was a special favourite of Schiller's mother, and of the poet himself. In the time of Flat Rationalism stanza i. became the object of much shallow wit. But as Richter points out (Biog. Lexicon, 1804, p. 95), if to represent the earth as tired, and woods and trees as sleeping is not true poetry, then Virgil(Aeneid iv., 11. 522-28) was in the wrong. Stanza viii., "Breit aus die Flügel beide," has been a special favourite in Germany, and Lauxmann, in Koch viii. 194, says of it:—
"How many a Christian soul, children mostly, but also God's children in general, does this verse serve as their last evening prayer. It has often been the last prayer uttered on earth, and in many districts of Germany is used at the close of the baptismal service to commend the dear little ones to the protection of their Lord Jesus."
Although in limited use in a translated form in the English hymn-books, the translations are numerous, and are as follows:—
1. Quietly rest the woods and dales, omitting stanza viii., by Mrs. Findlater, in Hymns from the Land of Luther, 1st Ser., 1854, p. 36 (1884, p. 38), included in Cantate Domino, Boston, U.S., 1859.
2. Now all the woods are sleeping. A full and good translation by Miss Winkworth, in the 2nd edition 1856, of the 1st Ser. of her Lyra Germanica, 1855, p. 228 (see below for first version). Included in full in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, and the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal 1880; and abridged in Dr. W. F. Stevenson's Hymns for Church & Home, 1873.
3. Now woods their rest are keeping. A good translation of stanzas i., iii., vii., ix., contributed by Edward Thring, as No. 18 to the Uppingham and Sherborne School Hymn Book, 1874.
Other translations are: (1) "Jesu, our Joy and Loving Friend," of stanza viii., as No. 200 in the Appendix of 1743 to the Moravian Hymn Book, 1742. (2) "Now Woods and Fields are quiet," in the Supplement to German Psalter, edition 1765, p. 73. (3) "Display Thy both wings over," of stanza viii., as No. 156 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754. (4) "Jesus, our Guardian, Guide and Friend," of stanza viii. as No. 765 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789 (1886, No. 1190). (5) "Lo! Man and Beast are sleeping," by H. J. Buckoll, 1842, p. 76. (6) "Now rest beneath night's shadow," by E. D. Yeomans, in Schaff’s Kirchenfreund, 1853, p. 195. (7) "Now rest the woods again," by Miss Winkworth, 1855, p. 226 (see No. 2 above). (8) "Rise, my soul, thy vigil keep," by Miss Dunn, 1857, p. 9. (9) "Now resteth all creation," by J. S. Stallybrass, in the Tonic Solfa Reporter, January, 1859, and Curwen's Harmonium & Organ Book, 1863, p. 58. (10) "Now every greenwood sleepeth," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 133. (11) "Now hushed are woods and waters," by Miss Cox, 1864, p. 9. (12) "Now spread are evening's shadows," by J. Kelly, 1863. (13) "The woods are hush'd; o'er town and plain," by Dr. J. Guthrie, 1869.
The hymn, "Tho' now no creature's sleeping," No. 356, in pt. ii. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754, is a translations of "Jetzt schlafen weder Wälder." This is No. 2338 in the final Zugabe to the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch, 1735. It is a parody in the "spiritual fleshy" style of stanzas i.-iii., vi., vii., of Gerhardt. It is marked as "On Aug. 13, 1748, after Holy Communion at Herrnhut." [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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Nun ruhen alle Walder, p. 822, i. The translation "Now all the woods are sleeping," in the Hymns for the Use of Sherborne School, 1888, is Miss Winkworth's translation with four or five lines from E. Thring's translation of the same hymn. Both trs. are noted above.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)
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