O How Blessed Faithful Souls Are Ye

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O how blessed faithful souls are ye

Author: Simon Dach (1650); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Published in 3 hymnals

Representative Text

Oh how blessed, faithful souls, are ye,
Who have passed through death; your God ye see,
Escaped at last
From all the sorrows that yet hold us fast!

Here as in a prison we are bound,
Care and fear, and terrors hem us round,
And all we know
It is but toil and grief of heart below.

While that ye are resting in your home,
Safe from pain, all misery o'ercome,
No grief or cross
Can mix with yonder joys to work you loss.

Christ doth wipe away your every tear,
Ye possess what we but long for here,
To you is sung
The song that ne'er through mortal ears hath rung.

Who is there that would not gladly die,
Changing earth for such a home on high,
Or who would stay
To toil amid these sorrows night and day!

Come, O Christ, release us from our post,
Lead us quickly hence to yonder host,
Whose battle won,
Now drink in joy and bliss from Thee our Sun.

Source: Lyra Germanica: The Christian Year #104

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Author: Simon Dach

Dach, Simon, son of Simon Dach, interpreter to the Court of Justice at Memel, Prussia, was born at Memel, July 29,1605. He attended the Cathedral school at Königsberg, the Town school at Wittenberg, and the Gymnasium at Magdeburg. In 1626 he returned to Königsberg, where, after studying philosophy and theology at the University, he for some time acted as a private tutor. In 1633 he was appointed assistant in the Cathedral school, and in 1636 Conrector. He then, in 1639, became Professor of Poetry in the University, was five times Dean of the Philosophical Faculty, and in 1656-57 Rector of the University. He died at Königsberg, April 15, 1659 (Koch , iii. 182-191; Allg. Deutsche Biog. , iv. 685-688, &c). Dach was much of an invalid, and… Go to person page >

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 >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O how blessed faithful souls are ye
Title:	O How Blessed Faithful Souls Are Ye
German Title:	O wie selig seid ihr doch irh Frommen
Author:	Simon Dach (1650)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Meter:	9.9.4.10
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain