O Darkest Woe

Representative Text

1 O darkest woe!
Ye tears, forth flow!
Has earth so sad a wonder,
That the Father's only Son
Now is buried yonder!

2 O sorrow dread!
Our God is dead,
He paid our great redemption.
Jesus' death upon the cross
Gained for us salvation.

3 O sinful man!
It was the ban
Of death on thee that brought Him
Down to suffer for thy sins
And such woe hath wrought Him.

4 O Ground of faith,
Laid low in death!
Sweet lips. now silent sleeping:
Surely all that live must mourn
Here with bitter weeping.

5 O blest shall be
Eternally
Who oft in faith will ponder
Why the glorious Prince of Life
Should be buried yonder.

6 O Jesus blest,
My Help and Rest,
With tears I now entreat Thee:
Make me love Thee to the last,
Till in heav'n I greet Thee!



Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #332

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

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 >

Text Information

First Line: O darkest woe! Ye tears forth flow
Title: O Darkest Woe
German Title: O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid
Author: Johann von Rist (1637)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth
Meter: 4.4.7.7.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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The Cyber Hymnal #4768
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Instances

Instances (1 - 6 of 6)

Ambassador Hymnal #88

Text

Christian Worship (1993) #137

Christian Worship #427

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #332

Lutheran Service Book #448

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #4768

Include 30 pre-1979 instances
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