O, weep not, mourn not o'er this bier

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O, weep not, mourn not o'er this bier

Translator (into English): Catherine Winkworth; Author: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius; Translator (into German): Nikolaus Herman
Published in 1 hymnal

Translator (into English): 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: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, "The Christian Pindar" was born in northern Spain, a magistrate whose religious convictions came late in life. His subsequent sacred poems were literary and personal, not, like those of St. Ambrose, designed for singing. Selections from them soon entered the Mozarabic rite, however, and have since remained exquisite treasures of the Western churches. His Cathemerinon liber, Peristephanon, and Psychomachia were among the most widely read books of the Middle Ages. A concordance to his works was published by the Medieval Academy of America in 1932. There is a considerable literature on his works. --The Hymnal 1940 Companion… Go to person page >

Translator (into German): Nikolaus Herman

Herman, Nicolaus, is always associated with Joachimsthal in Bohemia, just over the mountains from Saxony. The town was not of importance till the mines began to be extensively worked about 1516. Whether Herman was a native of this place is not known, but he was apparently there in 1518, and was certainly in office there in 1524. For many years he held the post of Master in the Latin School, and Cantor or Organist and Choirmaster in the church. Towards the end of his life he suffered greatly from gout, and had to resign even his post as Cantor a number of years before his death. He died at Joachimsthal, May 3, 1561. (Koch, i. 390-398; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xii. 186-188, &c.) He was a great friend and helper of J. Mathesius (q.v.)… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O, weep not, mourn not o'er this bier
Translator (into English):	Catherine Winkworth
Author:	Aurelius Clemens Prudentius
Translator (into German):	Nikolaus Herman
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Deus ignee fons animarum. A, C. Prudentins. [Burial of the Dead.] This beautiful poem, in 44 stanzas of 4 lines, is No. x. in his Cathemerinon, and may be found in all editions of his works, e.g. Deventer, 1490, Lond., 1824, &c. It is also in a manuscript of the 5th century, in the Bibl. Nat. Paris (8084, f. 32b), and in a Mozarabic Office Book of 11th century, in the British Museum (Add. 30851, f. 160). Its liturgical use has been limited, but in the Mozarabic Breviary (Toledo, 1502, f. 3136) it is given in the Office for the Dead. The full text is in Wackernagel, i., No. 40, and a part in Daniel, i., No. 115, pt ii.
Translated as:—
O weep not, mourn not o'er this bier. A good and full version by Miss Winkworth in the 1st ser. of her Lyra Germanica, 1855, p. 249. In her 2nd ed., 1856, p. 251, it is altered, and begins: "Now hush your cries, and shed no tear," and repeated thus in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 97. Also in Psalms & Hymns, Bedford, 1859, No. 269, and the Rugby School Hymn Book, 1866, No. 208.