“I Am the Vine; the Branches—You”: Fabricius’s Third Hymn

In this post, I offer a translation of the third poem in Book 1 of Georg Fabricius’s Hymns. I have once again used iambic tetrameters with rhyme in the second and fourth lines of each stanza.

First, in Latin:

CHRISTUS APOSTOLOS docens, et pro iis orans.

I. Ioan. II. Advocatum habeamus apud patrem, Iesum Christum, iustum: et ipse est propitiatio.

HORA OCTAVA.

Tristem timorem pellite:
    In me, Patremque credite:
    Sum vita, veritas, via,
    Et spes salutis unica.
Sum vitis, et vos palmites,
    Efferte fructus uberes.
    Vos mundus odit: at Pater
    Caelestis ipse diligit.
Hunc inuocate per meum
    Nomen, sacrum qui spiritum
    Demittet: is contra mala
    Vos roborabit omnia.
Te sancte, te voco Pater,
    Nato tuo da gloriam:
    Et quos dedisti, quos dabis,
    Pios ministros protege.
Uno perenni et mutuo
    Iungantur omnes vinculo,
    Fungantur et Pater tua
    In sempiternum gloria.
Pater, dedisti quos mihi,
    Mecum, volo, sint singuli:
    Eos ama, ante condita
    Ut diligis me saecula.

Next, in English:

Christ Teaching the Apostles

1 John 2: “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is our propitiation.”

At the eighth hour.

Put forlorn fear swiftly to flight;

     Put faith in my Father and me.

     I am the life, the truth, the way,

     Salvation’s only guarantee.

I am the vine; the branches—you;

     Bring forth the fruit that I create.

     The Father’s love undoes above

     The wounding of the world’s hate.

Therefore through My name call Him who

     Will send the Holy Spirit down;

     He’ll strengthen you against all ills,

     Like oak trees rooted in the ground.

You, Holy Father, You I call:

     Give glory to Your only Son.

     The servants whom You’ve given, guard,

     And those You’ll give in days to come.

Let all by one mutual love

     Be bonded everlastingly;

     And may they, Father, pay to You

     Glory now and eternally.

Father, may those You’ve given me

     With me be severally one;

     Love them as you love me before

     The world of time had yet begun.^[1]