https://opensiddur.org/?p=45961Preis der Gotteslehre, a hymn translated by Felix Adler (1868) adapted from a songbook of the Cooperative for Reform Judaism in Berlin (1846)2022-08-03 12:20:57"Preis der Gotteslehre" is a hymn translated by Felix Adler from one found in <em>Gebete und Gesänge zu dem von der Genossenschaft für Reform im Judenthum zu Berlin eingerichteten Gottesdienst für die Zeit zwischen dem Schewuoth- und Roschhaschanah-Fest des Weltjahres 5606/7</em>, hymn №23, pp. 19-20 (1846) and published in <em><a href="https://opensiddur.org/?p=45248">Hymns, for Divine Service in the Temple Emanu-El</a></em> (1871), hymn №3, pp. 6-7. We have tentatively dated this translation to 1868, since another hymn by Adler ("School-hymn, no. 36") can be found appended from another unattributed work in <em>A Guide to Instruction in the Israelitsh Religion</em> (Samuel Adler, trans. M. Mayer, Temple Emanu-El, 1864, 4th printing 1868). The original hymn in German has three stanzas.Textthe Open Siddur ProjectAharon N. Varady (transcription)Aharon N. Varady (transcription)Felix AdlerUnknown Author(s)https://opensiddur.org/copyright-policy/Aharon N. Varady (transcription)https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Shavuot19th century C.E.English Translation57th century A.M.German vernacular prayerGerman Reform Movementhymns
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Source (German)
Adapted (German)
Translation (English)
Preis der Gotteslehre.
Du, meine Seele, schwinge
Dich auf zu Gottes Thron,
Aus meinem Mund erklinge
Des Dankes Jubelton,
Daß Er, der Herr der Gnade,
Einst auf dem Sinai,
Uns für des Lebens Pfade,
Des Lebens Vort verlieh!
Du, meine Seele, schwinge
Dich auf zu Gottes Thron,
Aus meinem Mund erklinge
Des Dankes Jubelton,
Dass Er, der Herr der Gnade,
Durch Seines Dieners Mund,
Und für des Lebens Pfade,
Gab Seine Lehre kund!
Sing to the Sovereign of the skies,
To His great name alone,
Let winged words of praise arise
To the Almighty’s throne.
For he has given His law of light
A radiant star to be,
To guide our erring steps aright,
For all eternity.
Tief aus des Herzens Fülle
Sei Ihm mein Dank gebracht,
Das einst sein mächt’ger Wille
Gab Licht der Erdennacht,
Seit damals er gegeben
Den Vätern sein Gesetz,
Durch Recht und Lieb’ im Leben
Zu fliehn der Sünde Netz.
Ja, Vater, sei gepriesen,
Du dort im Himmelszelt,
Der solches Heil erwiesen
Durch Israel der Welt:
Du Helfer in Gefahren,
Du Schutz in Leid und Tod,
Auch ich will treu bewahren
Dein heiliges Gebot.
Ja, Vater, sei gepriesen,
Du dort im Himmelszelt,
Der solches Heil erwiesen
Durch Israel der Welt:
Du Helfer in Gefahren,
Du Schutz in Leid und Tod,
Auch ich will treu bewahren
Dein heiliges Gebot.
Praise be to Thee, who didst command,
Thy first-born Israel,
In every clime, in every land,
Thy living truths to tell.
O may they ever be our guide,
And bear us safely o’er
Life’s dark and swiftly flowing tide,
Until it flows no more.
“Preis der Gotteslehre” is a hymn translated by Felix Adler from one found in Gebete und Gesänge zu dem von der Genossenschaft für Reform im Judenthum zu Berlin eingerichteten Gottesdienst für die Zeit zwischen dem Schewuoth- und Roschhaschanah-Fest des Weltjahres 5606/7, hymn №23, pp. 19-20 (1846) and published in Hymns, for Divine Service in the Temple Emanu-El (1871), hymn №3, pp. 6-7. We have tentatively dated this translation to 1868, since another hymn by Adler (“School-hymn, no. 36”) can be found appended from another unattributed work in A Guide to Instruction in the Israelitsh Religion (Samuel Adler, trans. M. Mayer, Temple Emanu-El, 1864, 4th printing 1868). The original hymn in German has three stanzas. We do not yet know who the author of the original hymn was. If you know, please leave a comment or contact us.
Source(s)
“Preis der Gotteslehre, a hymn translated by Felix Adler (1868) adapted from a songbook of the Cooperative for Reform Judaism in Berlin (1846)” is shared by the living contributor(s) with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.
Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeniשְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
Felix Adler (August 13, 1851 – April 24, 1933) was a German-Jewish American professor of political and social ethics, rationalist, influential lecturer on euthanasia, religious leader, and social reformer who, in 1876, founded the Ethical Culture movement. Felix Adler was the son of Rabbi Samuel Adler of Temple Emanu-El, the most prominent reform synagogue in New York City.
Sometimes the best we can do in attributing a historical work is to indicate the period and place it was written, the first prayer book it may have been printed in, or the archival collection in which the manuscript was found. We invite the public to help to attribute all works to their original composers. If you know something not mentioned in the commentary offered, please leave a comment or contact us.
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