Hymn from the book Heidi by Johanna Spyri

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BellaButterfly
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Hymn from the book Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Post by BellaButterfly » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:12 pm

I have been searching for a hymn of which I do not know the name. It is mentioned in a English translation of Heidi by Johanna Spyri. The words mentioned in the book are

All things will work for good
To those who trust in Me;
I come with healing on my wings,
To save and set thee free.

Do you know the name of the hymn, and where I can purchase a copy?

I would appreciate any help you can give me.

Thank you.

Ciana
steveliu
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Hymn from the book Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Post by steveliu » Sun Jul 28, 2013 12:25 am

Hi Ciana,

I looked all over at hymns written around the time the Heidi was published (the late 1800s), and can't find any English-language hymn with these exact words--all the references I find are, of course, to the same English translation of Heidi you're referencing.

I actually looked in the original German-language version of Heidi by Johanna Spyri and found the part of the book where the hymn was listed:

Gott will's machen, Daß die Sachen Gehen, wie es heilsam ist. Laß die Wellen Immer schwellen, Denk, wie du so sicher bist!

A little more digging, and I found this German-language hymn by Johann Daniel Herrnschidt:

Gott will's machen, dass die Sachen

1) Gott will's machen, dass die Sachen gehen, wie es heilsam ist;
dass die Wellen höher schwellen, wenn du nur bei Jesus bist.

2) Wer sich kränket, weil er denket, Jesus liege in dem Schlaf,
wird mit Klagen nur sich plagen, dass der Unglaub leide Straf.

3) Glaub nur feste, dass das Beste über dich beschlossen sei;
wenn dein Wille nur ist stille, wirst du von dem Kummer frei.

4) Gottes Hände sind ohn Ende, sein Vermögen hat kein Ziel.
Ist's beschwerlich, scheint's gefährlich, deinem Gott ist nichts zu viel.

5) Wenn die Stunden sich gefunden, bricht die Hilf mit Macht herein;
und dein Grämen zu beschämen, wird es unversehens sein.

6) Amen, Amen! In dem Namen meines Jesu halt ich still;
es geschehe und ergehe, wie und wann und was er will!

Here's a version on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuKdOnsDCyk

Perhaps some of our German-speaking readers can provide some more history or insight behind the hymn.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this hymn was widely translated into English, and if it was it certainly didn't use the same words that the translator of Heidi used (it doesn't seem to necessarily be a direct translation).

Having said that, hopefully this provides a little insight and can help you picture the hymn that Heidi and her grandmother shared ;)

God bless!
Steve
none

Re: Hymn from the book Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Post by none » Mon Sep 17, 2018 12:01 pm

Regarding your "Heidi" German hymn, as seen with Catherine Winkworth's ubiquitous translations of German hymns, sadly most English versions bear scant resemblance to the original German, sigh, very infuriating for one who loves German as a second language, especially in the great Johann Sebastian Bach.
An infamous example I use is Silent Night, where the original "holder Knabe mit lockigen Haar" plainly translated as "beauteous Boy with curly Hair"
strangely comes through as "holy Infant so tender and mild" !!! Absurdly the most important item for these folk is that it RHYMES! no matter how badly it ruins the meaning!
I can't begin to describe how outrageous this meaning defacement is to me, and as one who knows the original language of Scripture I find a similar ruination of Bible translations, especially since the 19th century (my standard use is the old 1901 American Standard mostly done in the 19th century in the days when they were less inclined to rush translations so badly as today; whoever thought up Bible translating by committee should have been hanged for his crime, for as the old joke goes, a camel is a horse that was designed by a committee) where what absurdly and frankly wickedly matters is how the RECIPIENTS LIKE the result, no matter how that result perverts the original meaning! I frequently use 1534 Tyndale and 1545 Luther and even Jerome's old 0405 Latin Vulgate/1598 Clementine revision, all thankfully in e-Sword (@ e-Sword.net) to check modern accuracy. It fails the test all too often. How glorious God still ordains his Word remain True (the omnipotent Word Incarnate and Written being coextensive) even in spite of all this!
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