10. IN BITTERHEYT DER SIELEN
Lied over een onbekende martelaar in Veurne (West-Vlaanderen). Zijn zwangere vrouw sterft van verdriet.
Na de wijse: Met eenen droeven sange
In bitterheyt der sielen
Claghe ick dit jammer groot:
Datmen dus siet vernielen
Die Gods woort belijden bloot.
Veel hebben t'Hemels broot
Betaelt met bloede root;
De Phariseeusche Fielen (*1)
Brenghense meest ter doot.
Een Broeder goet van natueren
Heb ick na den gheest ghehadt,
Die moeste den dood besueren
Te Vueren binnen der Stadt.
Gods woort beleedt hy plat (*2)
Daer hy ghevanghen sat:
'T'rijck Gods sal my ghebueren
Want hy beloeft ons dat'.
Sijn vrouwe die hy beminde,
Trooste hy met woorden soet.
Sy was bevaen met kinde,
Hy vreesde voor haer ontspoet
En sprack: 'Mijn vleesch, mijn bloet,
En acht niet watmen my doet;
En ghy Gods gheest versinde (*3),
Het waer met u al goet'.
Met seven wreede slaghen
Heeft hy de doot ontfaen.
Noch moestmen het hooft af saghen
Eer de martely was ghedaen.
Al die dit sagen aen
Die werden al eenen traen.
Hoe condy, Godt, verdraghen
Die uwen gheest dus wederstaen?
Sijn arme bevruchte vrouwe
Die maeckte groot misbaer.
Sy sterf van grooten rouwe
En oock de vrucht met haer.
Dit bitter lijden swaer
Mochtmen aenschouwen daer.
O God, ghy zijt getrouwe, Heb.10.c.25.
Ghy wreecket wel hier naer. deu.32.d.35.
(*1): schurken
(*2): ronduit
(*3): als jij op Gods geest let.
| 10. In Bitterness of the Soul
To the tune: With a sad song.
In bitterness of the soul
I complain about this great misery:
That one sees destroyed
Those who openly confess God's word.
Many have paid for the Heavenly bread
With their red blood;
The Pharisaical rogues
Bring most of them to death.
A good-natured brother
I once had after the Spirit,
Who had to suffer death
Inside the city of Veurne.
He confessed God's word plainly
Where he sat imprisoned:
'The kingdom of God shall come to me
For he promised us that'.
His wife, whom he loved,
He comforted with sweet words.
She was pregnant,
He feared for her welfare
And said: 'My flesh, my blood,
Disregard what they do to me;
And as you rely upon God's spirit,
It will go well with you.'
With seven cruel beatings
He received death.
Still they had to saw off his head
Before the martyrdom was complete.
All who witnessed this
Were filled with tears.
How could you, God, endure
Those who oppose your spirit so?
His poor, pregnant wife
Raised an outcry.
She died of great sorrow
And also the fruit with her.
This heavy, bitter suffering
One can behold there.
O God, you are faithful,
You will surely avenge yourself.
Translation: Gary K. Waite |
