| 13. Zwingli during the Pestilence. | ||||
In the summer of 1519 Zwingli went to the famous bath of Pfaeffers at Ragatz to gather strength for his prospectively onerous duties at Z rich, in view of the danger of the approach of the plague from Basle. As soon as he learned, in August, that the plague had broken out in Z rich, he hastened back without stopping to visit his relations on the way. For several weeks he devoted himself, like a faithful shepherd, day after day, to the care of the sick, until he fell sick himself at the end of September. His life was in great danger, as he had worn himself out. The papal legate sent his own physician to his aid. The pestilence destroyed twenty-five hundred lives; that is, more than one-third of the population of Z rich. Zwingli recovered, but felt the effects on his brain and memory, and a lassitude in all limbs till the end of the year. His friends at home and abroad, including Faber, Pirkheimer, and Duerer at Nuernberg, congratulated him on his recovery. | ||||
The experience during this season of public distress and private affliction must have exerted a good influence upon his spiritual life. We may gather this from the three poems, which he composed and set to music soon afterwards, on his sickness and recovery. They consist each of twenty-six rhymed iambic verses, and betray great skill in versification. They brea the a spirit of pious resignation to the will of God, and give us an insight into his religious life at that time. He wrote another poem in 1529, and versified the Sixty-ninth Psalm. | ||||
Zwingli's Poems during the Pestilence, with a Free Condensed Translation. | ||||
I. Im Anfang der Krankheit. | ||||
Hilf, Herr Gott, hilf | ||||
In dieser Noth; | ||||
Ich mein', der Tod | ||||
Syg an der Thuer. | ||||
Stand, Christe, fuer; | ||||
Denn du ihn ueberwunden hast! | ||||
Zu dir ich gilf: | ||||
Ist es din Will, | ||||
Zuch us den Pfyl, | ||||
Din Hafbin ich, | ||||
Mach ganz ald brich. | ||||
Dann nimmst du hin | ||||
Den Geiste min | ||||
Der mich verwundt, | ||||
Nit lass ein Stund | ||||
Mich haben weder Ruew noch Rast! | ||||
Willt du dann glych | ||||
Todt haben mich | ||||
Inmitts der Tagen min, | ||||
So soll es willig syn. | ||||
Thu, wie Du willt, | ||||
Mich nuet befilt. | ||||
Von dieser Erd, | ||||
Thust du's, dass er nit boeser werd, | ||||
Ald and ern nit | ||||
Befleck ihr Leben fromm und Sitt. | ||||
II. Mitten in der Krankheit. | ||||
Troest, Herr Gott, troest! | ||||
Die Krankheit wachst, | ||||
Weh und Angst fasst | ||||
Min Seel und Lyb. | ||||
Darum dich schybr | ||||
Gen mir, einiger Trost, mit Gnad! | ||||
Die gwuess erloest | ||||
Bin jeden, der Sin herzlich B'ger | ||||
Und Hoffnung setzt | ||||
In dich, verschaetzt. | ||||
Darzu diss Zyt all Nutz und Schad. | ||||
Nun ist es um; | ||||
Min Zung ist stumm, | ||||
Mag sprechen nit ein Wort; | ||||
Min Sinn' sind all verdorrt, | ||||
Darum ist Zyt,Dass Du min Stryt | ||||
Fuehrist fuerhin; | ||||
So ich nit bin | ||||
So stark, dass ich | ||||
Moeg tapferlich | ||||
Thun Widerstand | ||||
Des Tuefels Facht und frefner Hand. | ||||
Doch wird min Gmueth | ||||
Staet bliben dir, wie er auch wueth. | ||||
III. Zur Genesung. | ||||
G'sund, Herr Gott, g'sund! | ||||
Ich mein', ich kehr | ||||
Schon wiedrum her. | ||||
Ja, wenn dich dunkt, | ||||
Der Suenden Funk' | ||||
Werd nit mehr bherrschen mich uf Erd, | ||||
So muss min Mund | ||||
Din Lob und Lehr | ||||
Ussprechen mehr | ||||
Denn vormals je, | ||||
Wie es auch geh' | ||||
Einfaetiglich ohn' alle G'faehrd. | ||||
Wiewohl ich muss | ||||
Des Todes buss | ||||
Erliden zwar einmal | ||||
Villicht mit groess'rer Qual, | ||||
Denn jezund waer' | ||||
Geschehen, Herr! | ||||
So ich sunst bin | ||||
Nach gfahren hin, | ||||
So will ich doch | ||||
Den Trutz und Poch | ||||
In dieser Welt | ||||
Tragen froehlich um Widergelt, | ||||
Mit Huelfe din, | ||||
Ohn' den nuet mag vollkommen syn. | ||||
I. In the Beginning of his Sickness. | ||||
Help me, O Lord, | ||||
My strength and rock; | ||||
Lo, at the door | ||||
I hear death's knock. | ||||
Uplift your arm, | ||||
Once pierced for me, | ||||
That conquered death, | ||||
And set me free. | ||||
Yet, if your voice, | ||||
In life's mid-day | ||||
Recalls my soul, | ||||
Then I obey. | ||||
In faith and hope, | ||||
Earth I resign, | ||||
Secure of heaven, | ||||
For I am Your. | ||||
II. In the Midst of his Sickness. | ||||
My pains increase; | ||||
Haste to console; | ||||
For fear and woe | ||||
Seize body and soul. | ||||
Lo! Satan strains | ||||
To snatch his prey; | ||||
I feel his grasp; | ||||
Must I give way? | ||||
Death is at hand, | ||||
My senses fail, | ||||
My tongue is dumb; | ||||
Now, Christ, prevail. | ||||
He harms me not, | ||||
I fear no loss, | ||||
For here lie | ||||
Beneath Your cross. | ||||
III. On Recovering from his Sickness. | ||||
My God! my Lord! | ||||
Healed by Your hand, | ||||
Upon the earth | ||||
Once more I stand. | ||||
Though now delayed, | ||||
My hour will come, | ||||
Involved, perchance, | ||||
In deeper gloom. | ||||
Let sin no more | ||||
Rule over me; | ||||
My mouth shall sing | ||||
Alone of You. | ||||
But, let it come; | ||||
With joy I'll rise, | ||||
And bear my yoke | ||||
Straight to the skies. | ||||