C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
The Unlike Children of Eve
By Hans Sachs (1494–1576)
Translation of Frank Sewall
Be to all who hear his Word,
Who come from far or come from near
This little comedy to hear,
Which first in Latin speech was done
By good Philippus Melanchthon;
And now I put in good plain speech,
That so the commonfolk it reach;
And thus I go without delay
In brief the Argument to say.
Was driven after God’s device,
And set to labor in the field,
Then God did of his mercy yield
And came to pay him a visit,
And trust and comfort him a bit;
And specially to better know
If obediently or no
His children feared their heavenly Lord,
And rightly studied in his Word.
And so without more preparation
He came and held examination.
And when the Lord did Abel find,
He and his lads quite pleased his mind,
And straightway blessed He him on earth,
And all who from him should get birth.
But when thereafter did the Lord
His brother Cain see and his herd,
He found them all so stupid dumb
And godless that they ne’er might come
Into his favor, but must live
In hardest toil if they would thrive
At all, and at all times must be
Subject to Abel’s mastery.
At this did Cain so angry get,
While Satan stirred still more his fit,
That out he went and Abel slew,
For nothing less his wrath let do.
And then to punish him God said
That wheresoe’er on earth he fled,
He ne’er should find a resting-place.
But when the angels by God’s grace
Good Abel’s body had interred,
Then came to Adam and Eve the word
That Seth should in his place be born,
Whose death had left them all forlorn,
And comfort them in this world’s pain,
And be through loss the greater gain.
And this you all shall straightway see
In speech and act conveniently.
[Here follows the scene in the house of the First Pair. Eve, alone, laments the hardships of her lot, driven from Paradise, and condemned to bear children in pain and to be obedient to her husband. Adam enters and asks the reason for her unhappy looks, and learns that she bemoans their being doomed to live under the unending curse of the offended God. Adam comforts her with the assurance that after proper penance, God will pardon and restore them to happiness; and indeed that he has just heard from the angel Gabriel that the Lord will on the morrow pay them a visit.]
To look in and see how we thrive,
And give us pleasant holiday,
And leave his promise as I say;
He’ll look around the house to find
If we do manage to his mind,
And teach the children as they need
To say their Bible and their Creed.
So wash the children well, and dress
Them up in all their comeliness,
And sweep the house and strew the floor,
That it may give him sweet odor,
When God the Lord, so morn begin,
With his dear angels shall walk in.
I will do all the best I can;
If God the Lord will but come down,
And cheer the heart that fears his frown.
All praise to my Creator be,
That so in mercy pityeth me.
Quick will I make the children clean,
And all the house fit to be seen
By him who comes by morrow’s light,
That he may find it sweet and right,
And so his blessing deign to leave.
That so he’ll do I hope and b’lieve.
Pious he is and fears his God,
Obedient to his every nod,
And with him do his children go,
Who are obedient also.
That wretch for whom the halter’s spun?
Woeful in me my heart does sink.
Belial’s child, he’s always done
The part of disobedient son.
When told to bring the wood from shed,
He cursed and out the house he fled;
And now with angry words and noise
Out in the street he fights the boys.
I can’t endure him in the room:
Above him hangs each day his doom,
And with it I’m near overcome.
[Abel soon enters, and is asked by his mother to go and bring in Cain, from whom Abel fears violence. Encouraged by the news that the Lord is coming to visit them, Abel promises to go, and Adam thus closes the scene:—]
And put it all in finest show,
To please God and the angels dear.
Sweet shall it smell and wear good cheer
With wreaths of green and May bedeckt
For the high Guests we dare expect.[They all go out.]
[This act represents Abel’s interview with Cain; in which, later, Adam and Eve both take part, urging him to come and be washed and ready for the expected Visitor.]
That you by mother washed may be!
And could they catch me now, you’d see
What for a washing they’d me give!
I fear a murderer thou’lt grow!
On thee, thou miserable knave!
The Lord God with his angels dear;
So come and let yourself be dressed
To welcome him in all our best!
I care not for it, but will go
To play and with my comrades be….
Who says that God will to us come?
That he will come do not we pray,
And keep us safe from every ill?
But never that he should come near.
I take the life God gave us here,
But leave eternity to him.
Who knows what all up there may be!
Hast thou no fear of endless hell?
O boy, the father talketh so,
But little of it all I know.
I know quite well what I’ll believe.
If God no angel wants to make me,
The Devil’s glad enough to take me!…
Fit by the Lord God to be seen,
To offer sacrifice and pray,
And hear what the good preachers say.
Just let those rogues catch me again,
My head will be in such a flood
That mouth and eyes shall run with blood!
What water can such vileness bleach?
But so I will remain forsooth.
With the other sons, obediently.
And when the Lord God shall come in,
Stand you before him pure and clean.
And then the Lord will find out Cain,
Where he all careless doth remain,
With those who to rebel incline,
And live as stupid as the swine:
There be they in the straw and rot,—
A ragged, miserable lot.
I ever will obedient be;
With all good children will I strive
To please thee all days that I live.
Enter Adam and Eve, and afterward Abel and Cain
Adam speaks
So that in the Master’s sight
All shall fine and festive stand,
As I gave you due command?
By time our vesper prayer was said.
Surrounded by the angels dear;
Now stand all nicely in a row,
And when the Lord shall see you so,
Bow low and offer him the hand.
See how at the very end do stand
Cain and his gallows-doomèd herd,
As if to flee before their Lord.
We thank thee for this mercy given,
That thou in all our need and pain
Shouldst deign to visit us again.
Wherein have we deserved this lot?
That thou so graciously shouldst come
And visit this our humble home?
[The pious salutations continue; Adam bidding all his sons to offer the word of welcome, beginning with Cain, who offers the Lord his left hand, and forgets to take off his hat. Then follows the greeting of Abel and all the good children, including Seth, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech; each one repeating in turn a petition out of the Lord’s Prayer, concluding with Lamech’s:—]
That blessed Seed thou’st promised true: Amen.
That God will do our prayer, without
We yield to unbelieving doubt.
That all you pray will be heard so?
Which ever faithful must endure;
For since the God of truth thou art,
Thy word is done at very start.
What shall a man do in the rift?
And trust him to his gracious Lord,
That in good time he’ll find a way
Wherein his mercy to display….
[So continues the catechizing on the Lord’s Prayer; which being ended, that on the Ten Commandments is taken up.]
Nor any strange God have in mind.
Fear him and love, and in him trust.
And never speak in vanity.
[The children rehearse and explain the Ten Commandments in their turn. Then follows in like manner the recitation and explanation of the Creed.]
You speak as pious children should.
You now may show me if as right
You can the holy Creed recite.
Maker of heaven and the earth.
Who was from heaven to earth sent down.
The head of Satan bruisèd he,
And so the human race set free.
Who peace and comfort giveth most.
Who shall in heaven her place receive.
For the good Lord hath promised so.
And live forever in the skies.
Commit ourselves, and on him rest
In heart and soul as Father best….
From realm of death we free shall go,
The bliss of endless life to know.
Now take ye heed therein to go.
Thereto shall ye my spirit share,
To teach and keep you free from care,
That so ye come above to live;
And here will I full blessing give:
On earth, health and prosperity,
That you a mighty folk shall be,
As kings and priests and potentates
And learned preachers and prelates,
So that the world shall know your fame,
And every land admire your name.
Thereto your father’s blessing take,
Which nevermore shall you forsake.
With harp and song and glad quintette,
The while his grace and mercy stand
Displayed to man on every hand,
To guide you to the heavenly land.[They all depart.]
[In this act Cain takes counsel with his evil companions Dathan, Nabal, Achan, Esau, Nimrod the Tyrant, and Satan the Devil, as to how they, who have always held the Lord’s name and worship in contempt, shall answer his questions. Satan bids them instead to accept his rule and guidance, and assures them the possession of all worldly goods and pleasures in so doing.]
The Lord speaks
And tell me how ye pray God to?
Thou hast of him but little learned;
His Word in folly hast thou spurned.
But let me hear what you can say.
Let us right here thy kingdom see;
Give us our debts and bread plenty,
And evil want and misery. Amen.
No whipping helped what I might say:
He drove it to the winds away;
And so did those who with him stand,—
All threw contempt on my command.
In woman who of him has birth;
And in the name of Holy Ghost.
Sin and flesh I b’lieve in most.
To learn I never thought ’twas need.
Dost thou have hope of heavenly bliss?
But up there what will be, who knows?
If God shall so forgiving be
That I that happy state shall see,
So good! What matters what I do?
What good shall holy offerings do?
Of endless life in sacrifice,
And so we can with offerings buy
Our right to his eternity!
Eternal life, believ’st thou in it?
My heart trusts what my eyes have seen.
I lift it not to things on high;
I take of earth’s good my supply,
And leave to thee Eternity.
[After the Lord administers the Divine reproof for such godlessness and indifference, and warns these wicked children of the awful results of their profanity and idleness, he appoints Abel to the duty of instructing these his wicked brothers; and on his accepting the office with meek obedience, the angel Gabriel closes the Act with an exhortation to praise.]
Come down ye hosts from heaven sent,
With all your loveliest melody,
To sound abroad God’s majesty,
Who hath done all things righteously!
Enter Cain with Satan, and speaks
That he will now our bishop be.
The Lord with him will play great rôle
And give him over us control.
Him must we all in worship greet,
And be like slaves beneath his feet.
[Satan shows Cain that he, being the first-born, has the right to rule; and advises him to kill Abel. Cain admits that he has long had it in mind to do this. Abel entering asks Cain if they shall go and offer the sacrifice. As they are offering, the Lord comes and admonishes Cain, and departs. Abel kneels by his sacrifice.]
My offering’s fire have I put out;
But thine with fat of lambs flames high.
Who life and good and soul doth give,
And by whose grace alone we live!
[Satan gives the sign to Abel; Cain strikes him down; Satan helps to conceal him, and flees. The Lord comes and speaks:—]
What is my brother’s lot to me?
Through heaven the voice of blood has run;
The earth the curse has understood,
In that she drank thy brother’s blood!
And bitter martyr’s lot is thine.
Within thy conscience endless pain
And biting grief without refrain.
The world for thee is all too small,—
Thou art accursed by one and all.
God and mankind are now thy foe,
And all creation this shall show,
For thou thy brother’s blood hast taken:
Hence be thou hated and forsaken;
Thy doom by no deed can be shaken.
Should dare for God’s forgiveness cry,
So must I wander on and on,
My life the prey of every one.
Shall seven times its misery know,
And so I put a mark on thee,
That none may do thee injury.
Or else in water drownèd be;
That so thyself from pain thou save,
And I in thee a firebrand have.[They both depart.]
[Adam and Eve now enter, weeping and lamenting the death of their good son. The Lord comforts them by ordering the angels to bury Abel’s body, and by assuring them that Seth, who shall now be to them as their first-born, shall be the father of a blessed race.]
That holy Seed, of earth forlorn
And cursed with sin,—the Savior,
Whom every one shall bow before,—
So ye to heavenly kingdom come,
And find with me eternal home.[They all depart.]
And four good lessons may it send.
And first, all people that do live
We see in Adam and in Eve.
These are the fallen human race,
Accursed by God and in disgrace,
E’en as to-day we see it so.
We all in misery do go,
In sorrow eat our daily bread,
As God the same hath truly said.
And next in Abel may we see,
Described and pictured cleverly,
All people that do fear the Lord,
And give good heed unto his word.
And these by Holy Ghost do strive
In love with fellow-man to live,
In soul and body so to prove
What is the heavenly Father’s love,
Whose mercy is to them always:
That do they to God’s thank and praise.
Thirdly, however, by this Cain,
The godless people are made plain,
Who mock and jeer at holy grace,
And faithless are in every place;
By their own reason, flesh and blood,
Taught what is right and what is good.
And so they know no fear nor shame,
And cast themselves in passion’s flame;
In sin and blasphemy forget
What love hath God upon them set.
To them it is but idle sport
That men should bid them heed God’s Word;
And so with murder, envy, hate,
On Satan’s wicked will they wait.
His word into their ear is blown,
And safe he claims them as his own.
Fourthly, in God we plainly see
How great is his benignity;
How he doth stoop to all mankind
A way from sin and curse to find,
Through that same holy Seed foretold
To Adam and to Eve of old:
And this is Christ, our Savior Lord,
Who by the heavenly Father’s word
From Mary’s body has come forth,
And crushed the serpent’s head to earth.
By cruel death upon the cross
He took away all wrath that was
’Twixt God and man by Adam’s fall,
That we after earth’s pain may all
Forever come with him to live:
That God may this in mercy give,
When endless joy our soul awakes,
With angels all, so prays Hans Sachs.