This is a C17 hymn from Germany, and I have to tread carefully because the Lutheran hymns in CWB have been tricking me up.
This one has a text by Johann Heerman, that CWB says was translated by Robert Bridges and adapted by Anthony G. Petti. I have seen considerable variation in the words of this one. Unusually, Hymnary has a lengthy exposition of this lyric.
It is set to HERZLEIBSTER JESU by Johann Cruger adapted by Johann Sebastian Bach. The melody in CWB has an F# that doesn’t seem to fit and is not in the version in Hymnary that I used as a basis for may backing. I have since discovered that the F# is in some versions and may not be a mistake, just tunesmiths being German and ornery.
This is the text in Hymnary.
1 Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
that we to judge thee have in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted!2 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!
‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
I crucified thee.3 Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered.
For our atonement, while we nothing heeded,
God interceded.4 For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.5 Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.
This is the CWB Text:
1 My loving Saviour, how have you offended,
that such a hate in man on you descended?
Both mocked and scorned, you suffered rejection
In deep affliction.2 It was my guilt brought all these things upon you.
Through all my sins was this injustice done you.
Lord Jesus, it was I that did deny you
And crucify you.3 So now the Shepherd for the sheep is offered,
Mankind is guilty, but the Son has suffered.
For man’s atonement, which man never heeded,
God interceded.4 For us, dear Jesus, was your incarnation,
Your bitter death and shameful crucifixion
Your burial and your glorious resurrection:
for our salvation.5 Although good Jesus, we cannot repay you,
We shall adore you and shall ever praise you,
For all your kindness and your love unswerving,
not our deserving.
This clip suggests completely different translators for the CWB text.
This clip suggests those listed in CWB actually did the other translation:
So now I don’t which tune is right and who got the attributions for translators of the different versions right.
Anthony G. Petti was the editor of the New Catholic Hymnal from England in 1971. He was the main butcherer of hymns in that book. Every time I see A.G.P in a hymn attribution, it leads me back to that particular hymn book.
And behold:
Herzliebster Jesu by Johann Heermann, 1585-1647, translated by A.G.P.
Based on the translation of Robert Bridges, 1844-1930
Since the original translation still would have been in copyright in 1971, it was ‘re-translated’ instead of copy/paste modernised as was the norm. I also note there was the switch from I and Me to Us and We, which was all the rage back then. And people today argue about pronouns.
Caswall and Neale were Anglican ministers who translated a whole bunch of Latin hymns into English in the 19th century.
Some people take the the best verses from translations and stick them together.
Considering that it uses yous instead of the language of the mid 19th century, I am inclined to believe that it is misattributed to the more famous hymn writers.
For the tune: it’s all up to the editors. Re-harmonise to dodge copyright, shuffle some notes around, and nobody actually knows the hymn so it dies out and confuses historians down the line.
Gio
You make me curious about the New Catholic Hymnal.
Unfortunately even the melody line versions I can find to be online are too expensive for mere curiosity.
Geoff
There is no doubt people have scanned it and have digital copies. The full Music edition is on certain archive websites.
It’s a copyright nightmare and the legislation has still not caught up.
Godsongs has a less illegal record of it:
https://www.godsongs.net/2017/12/new-catholic-hymnal-faber-music-ltd-england.html