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"{{Lang|de|O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben}}" (literally: O world, see here your life) is a [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] [[hymn]] in German by [[Paul Gerhardt]].<ref name="translation" /> The hymn for [[Passiontide]] in 16 stanzas of 6 lines was first published in 1648 in the third edition of Crüger's ''[[Praxis pietatis melica]]'' ([[:de:Praxis Pietatis Melica|de]]).<ref name="hymnary" />
"{{Lang|de|O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben}}" (literally: O world, see here your life) is a [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] [[hymn]] in German by [[Paul Gerhardt]].<ref name="translation" /> The hymn for [[Passiontide]] in 16 stanzas of 6 lines was first published in 1648 in the third edition of Crüger's ''[[Praxis pietatis melica]]'' ([[:de:Praxis Pietatis Melica|de]]).<ref name="hymnary" />


Gerhardt wrote the hymn for the melody of "[[Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen]]", requiring the poetic form AABCCB. He wrote the evening song "Nun ruhen alle Wälder" for the same melody.<ref name="melody" /> The theme of the hymn is a reflection what the suffering of Jesus means for the Christian. Starting with the image of Jesus on the cross, life and death are juxtaposed, "Leben" (life) at the end of the first line, "Tod" (death) at the end of the third line. Another contrast is that of "Der große Fürst der Ehren" (the great duke of honours" and his humiliation: "mit Schlägen, Hohn und großem Spott" (with beatings, scorn and great mockery). The third stanza raises the question of responsibility, "Wer hat dich so geschlagen ...?" (Who beat you like this ...?), while the fourth stanza answers that it is the one who asks: "Ich, ich und meine Sünden" (I and my sins). The fifth stanza draws the consequence: "Ich bin's, ich sollte büßen" (It's me, I should atone). The following stanzas develop the resolution to follow the example of loving the enemies ("ich die soll lieben, die mich doch sehr betrüben", 13), forgive ("Dem Nächsten seine Schulden verzeihen", 14), deny worldly pleasures ("dem absagen, was meinem Fleisch gelüst", 15) and finally hope for help to eternal rest ("begleiten zu der ew'gen Ruh", 16).
Gerhardt wrote the hymn for the melody of "[[Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen]]", requiring the poetic form AABCCB.<ref name="melody" /> He wrote the evening song "Nun ruhen alle Wälder" for the same melody.


The hymn was translated to English in several versions, for example "O, World! behold upon the tree" by [[Catherine Winkworth]] in 1858.<ref name="hymnary" />
The hymn was translated to English in several versions, for example "O, World! behold upon the tree" by [[Catherine Winkworth]] in 1858.<ref name="hymnary" />

Revision as of 20:17, 8 April 2014

"O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben"
GenreHymn
Textby Paul Gerhardt
LanguageGerman
Published1648 (1648)

"O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben" (literally: O world, see here your life) is a Lutheran hymn in German by Paul Gerhardt.[1] The hymn for Passiontide in 16 stanzas of 6 lines was first published in 1648 in the third edition of Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica (de).[2]

Gerhardt wrote the hymn for the melody of "Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen", requiring the poetic form AABCCB. He wrote the evening song "Nun ruhen alle Wälder" for the same melody.[3] The theme of the hymn is a reflection what the suffering of Jesus means for the Christian. Starting with the image of Jesus on the cross, life and death are juxtaposed, "Leben" (life) at the end of the first line, "Tod" (death) at the end of the third line. Another contrast is that of "Der große Fürst der Ehren" (the great duke of honours" and his humiliation: "mit Schlägen, Hohn und großem Spott" (with beatings, scorn and great mockery). The third stanza raises the question of responsibility, "Wer hat dich so geschlagen ...?" (Who beat you like this ...?), while the fourth stanza answers that it is the one who asks: "Ich, ich und meine Sünden" (I and my sins). The fifth stanza draws the consequence: "Ich bin's, ich sollte büßen" (It's me, I should atone). The following stanzas develop the resolution to follow the example of loving the enemies ("ich die soll lieben, die mich doch sehr betrüben", 13), forgive ("Dem Nächsten seine Schulden verzeihen", 14), deny worldly pleasures ("dem absagen, was meinem Fleisch gelüst", 15) and finally hope for help to eternal rest ("begleiten zu der ew'gen Ruh", 16).

The hymn was translated to English in several versions, for example "O, World! behold upon the tree" by Catherine Winkworth in 1858.[2]

Johann Sebastian Bach used several stanzas of the hymn as reflecting chorale in his St John Passion (1724)[4] and St Matthew Passion (1727).[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b "O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben / Text and Translation of Chorale". bach-cantatas.com. 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben". hymnary.org. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / O Welt, ich muß dich lassen / Nun ruhen alle Wälder". bach-cantatas.com. 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  4. ^ Ambrose, Z. Philip (2012). "BWV 245 Johannes-Passion". University of Vermont. Retrieved 29 March 2014. {{cite web}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

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