4,4,7,7,7
O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid
Johann von Rist
trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1869
O darkest woe!
Ye tears, forth flow!
Has earth so sad a wonder?
God the Father's only Son
Now lies buried yonder.
O son of man,
It was the ban
Of death on thee that brought Him
Down to suffer for thy sins,
And such woe hath wrought Him.
Behold thy Lord,
The Lamb of God,
Blood-sprinkled lies before thee,
Pouring out His life that He
May to life restore thee.
O Ground of faith,
Laid low in death;
Sweet lips now silent sleeping!
Surely all that live must mourn
Here with bitter weeping.
Yea, blest is he
Whose heart shall be
Fixed here, who apprehendeth
Why the Lord of Glory thus
To the grave descendeth.
O Jesu blest,
My help and rest!
With tears I pray, Lord hear me,
Make me love Thee to the last,
And in death be near me.