Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
That we to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.
Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee!
I crucified thee.
For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.
Johann Heerman, 1630
tr. Robert Bridges, 1899; alt.
Tune: HERZLIEBSTER JESU (11.11.11.5.)
Johann Cruger, 1640
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.
Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee!
I crucified thee.
For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.
Johann Heerman, 1630
tr. Robert Bridges, 1899; alt.
Tune: HERZLIEBSTER JESU (11.11.11.5.)
Johann Cruger, 1640
P.S. The painting above is detail from The Ascent to Calvary by Jacopo Tintoretto (1566)
One Year Ago: Good Friday
