Meine lieben Studenten!
Jetzt beginnen wir mit dem Vaterunser.
Now begin we with the Our Father.
III. Das Vaterunser
III. The Father-our.
Note: Luther, keeping language already archaic in his day, prayed: "Vater unser," "Father our." It became a mark of Lutheranism -- as the Reformed used the more modern: "Unser Vater." There is nothing at stake in terms of meaning -- rather it is a custom -- but one which became distinctive.
wie ein Hausvater dasselbe seinem Gesinde auf das einfaeltigste vorhalten soll.
As a house father the same to his household in the simplest way present should.
Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel.
Father our, who Thou art in the heaven.
Der -- "the" -- masculine article -- but used as a relative pronoun -- "who."
Du bist -- thou art -- second person singular informal or intimate.
Note: The construction here is archaic -- "who thou" are technically both subjects. But that's the way they used to speak.
Was ist das? -- Antwort
What is that? -- Answer
Gott will damit uns locken,
God wants t hereby us to entice [lure, draw]
dass wir glauben sollen,
that we believe should,
er sei unser rechter Vater
[that] He is our correct [true] Father
und wir seine rechte Kinder,
and we His correct children,
auf dass wir getrost und mit aller Zuversicht
so that we comforted and with all confidence
ihn bitten sollen
Him ask should
wie die lieben Kinder ihren lieben Vater.
as the dear children [ask] their dear Father.
Gott will damit uns locken
God wants therewith us to entice
der Gott -- God -- cognates
damit -- therewith -- da=there; mit=with. German often, even usually a construction such as "therewith" instead of saying "with it."
uns -- us -- first person plural personal pronoun -- accusative case -- direct object.
locken -- to entice, to draw, to lure.
dass wir glauben sollen
that we believe should
dass -- that -- subordinating conjunction -- verb at end of clause.
er sei unser rechter Vater
[that] He is our correct Father
sei -- "be" -- third person singular present -- SUBJUNCTIVE -- in this case indicating indirect discourse -- God is telling us that He is/be our correct Father.
unser -- our -- cognates.
recht -- right -- cognates -- "er" is the adjectival ending. DON'T WORRY; be happy. It is right and correct to say that we are His children -- and He our father.
und wir seinen rechten Kinder
and we his correct children
Note: In modern German, one would use "Du" only with members of the immediate family and one's closest friends (as well as all children and animals). So why should be pray to God with "Du" instead of the formal, polite "Sie"? Because He is our Father and one addresses one's father with the family form! So it's like "Abba, Father."
auf dass wir getrost und mit aller Zuversicht
so that we conforted and with all confidence
auf dass -- so that -- two word conjunction -- subordinating -- so verb at end of clause.
getrost -- comforted -- without worrying -- we should be completely at ease in addressed God as our Father.
mit -- with -- preposition -- taking the dative case.
aller -- all -- feminine singular dative.
die Zuversicht -- confidence, reliance.
Note: Zuversicht is pronounced: TSOO-fehr-zicht (the "ch" is gutteral, a rasping in the throat -- remember that speaking German keeps your throat clear -- as speaking French keeps your nose clear.
ihn bitten sollen
Him request should.
bitten -- to ask, to request -- to make a request -- NOT to ask a question (which is fragen).
Note: "Bitte," "please," is short for "Ich bitte," "I request," in other words, "I'm making a kind request for you to do me this favor" -- making a request, not issuing an order.
wie die lieben Kinder ihren lieben Vater [bitten].
as the dear children [ask] their dear Father.
The verb (bitten, ask/request) is understood from the previous clause.
die Kinder -- children -- plural of das Kind.
Die erste Bitte
Geheiliget werde dein Name.
Hallowed be Thy name.
geheiliget -- hallowed/sanctified -- past participle of heiligen, to hallow. Modern German would omit the last "e" -- geheiligt.
werde -- be -- third person singular present SUBJUNCTIVE of werden. This is the passive construction. The subjunctive indicates a wish -- may Thy name be hallowed.
Note: werden ('to become") is used for BOTH the future tense and for the passive voice of all tenses. "Werden" with a plain and simple infinitive (Ich werde gehen/I will go) is the plain and simple future. "Werden" with the PAST PARTICIPLE indicates the passive (Er schreibt einen Brief/He writes a letter -- active; the passive is: A letter is written by him/Ein Brief wird von ihm geschrieben.
Was ist das? -- Antwort
What is that? -- Answer
Gottes Name ist zwar an ihm selbst heilig;
God's name is indeed in itself holy
aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet,
but we ask in the prayer/petition,
Dass er bei uns auch heilig werde.
That it among us also holy may be.
zwar -- adverb -- indeed.
an -- in -- preposition -- may be "on" -- the context here indicates "in."
ihm -- it/him -- third person pronoun, dative singular.
Note: "Ihm" can be him or it -- not only does this form serve for both the masculine and the neuter -- but it also can refer to a thing which we would call "it" even if the noun is masculine. Der Name is a masculine noun -- but we call it "it" in English.
selbst -- self -- This word does not change form.
auch -- also/even.
bei uns -- among us.
werde -- may be/become -- third person singular present SUBJUNCTIVE.
Wie geschieht das? -- Antwort
How happens that? -- Answer
geschieht -- happens -- third person singular present indicative of geschehen, to happen.
Wo das Wort Gottes lauter und rein gelehrt wird,
Where the Word of God purely and purely taught is,
und wir auch heilig als die Kinder Gottes danach leben;
and we also holy as the children of God according to it live,
das hilf uns, lieber Vater im Himmel!
[with] that help us, dear Father in heaven!
Wer aber anders lehrt und lebt,
Who however otherwise teaches and lives,
denn das Wort Gottes lehrt, der entheiligt
than the Word of God teaches, he desecrates
unter uns den Namen Gottes;
among us the name of God;
da behuete uns vor, [lieber] himmlischer Vater!
there protect us before, [dear] heavenly Father!
Wo das Wort Gottes lauter und rein gelehrt wird.
Where the Word of God is purely and purely taught.
Wo -- where -- subordinating conjunction -- "wird" comes at the end of the clause.
lauter und rein -- synonyms for "purely" -- adverbs.
gelehrt -- taught -- past participle of lehren, to teach.
wird -- is/becomes -- third person singular active indicative of werden. Note the passive construction.
und wir auch heilig als die Kinder Gottes danach leben
and we also holy as the children of God according to it live.
heilig -- holy -- cognates -- used as an adverb here.
als -- as -- cognates.
danach -- "da" ("there") with the preposition "nach" ("after" or "according to"). This is the German construction for "according to it." Some Germans will write "darnach," adding the "r" for the sake of the sound.
Das hilf uns, lieber Vater im Himmel.
[With] that help us, dear Father in heaven.
Das hilf uns -- could be "Damit hilf uns" -- help us with that, give us assistance in that.
hilf -- help -- second person singular IMPERATIVE -- giving an order-- from the verb "helfen" "to hel" -- cognates.
Wer aber anders lehrt und lebt,
But he who otherwise teaches and lives.
Wer -- who -- relative pronoun -- cognates -- serves to mean "he who" in this case.
aber -- but/however -- coordinating conjunction -- used here as an adverb. This word can come first in the clause or at just about any later point.
anders -- otherwise/differently -- adverb -- cognate to "other"
lehrt und lebt -- third person singular present indicative of lehren/teach and leben/live.
denn das Wort Gottes lehrt,
than the Word of God teaches,
der entheiligt unter uns den Namen Gottes;
he desecrates among us the name of God.
der -- he -- the definite article "the" used as a mild demonstrative pronoun.
entheiligt -- desecrates/profanes -- third person singular present indicative of entheiligen
Note: The "ent" as a prefix to the verb negates the meaning -- so "heiligen" is "to make holy"; "entheiligen" is "to make unholy," "to profane," "to desecrate." "Entheiligen" would be like "de-hallow" or "unhallow."
unter uns -- under/among us -- same meaning as "bei uns" above.
da behuete uns vor, [lieber] himmlischer Vater
there protect us fore, [dear] heavenly Father.
da -- there -- adverb. According to the meaning, it goes with the "vor" -- it should be "davor" in modern German -- "before/against that"
behuete -- protect -- second person singular active IMPERATIVE -- a order or command.
Die andere Bitte
The other/second Petition/Request.
Dein Reich komme
Thy kingdom come.
das Reich -- not exactly "kingdom" or "empire." It's a cognate to our word "rich" and one would expect it to mean "commonwealth." But it's actually used for "kingdom" and "empire" --- and usage determines meaning. In the NT, Luther's translation has "das Reich Gottes" for "the kingdom of God."
komme -- third person singular present SUBJUNCTIVE of "kommen," "come." It expresses the wish -- "May Thy kingdom come."
Was ist das? -- Antwort
What is that? -- Answer.
Gottes Reich kommt wohl ohne unser Gebet,
God's kingdom comes indeed without our prayer,
von ihm selbst;
of itself;
aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet,
but we ask in this petition,
dass es auch zu uns komme.
that it also come to us.
By now, you should be able to understand all of the above. Just a few points:
wohl -- indeed (in this context) -- cognate to "well."
ohne -- without -- preposition taking the accusative case.
Wie geschieht das? -- Antwort.
How happens that? -- Answer.
Wenn der himmlische Vater uns seinen Heiligen Geist gibt,
When the heavenly Father to us His Holy Spirit gives,
dass wir seinem heiligen Wort durch seine Gnade glauben
[so] that we His holy Word through His grace believe
und goettlich leben, hier zeitlich und dort ewiglich.
and godly live, here temporally and there eternally.
wenn - when -- cognates. Note: "wenn" means "when" or "if" -- used in present or future. In the past, "when I was there," German uses "als" -- "Als ich da war."
uns -- us -- cognates -- first person plural personal pronoun -- dative case.
seinen Heligen Geist -- accusative masculine singular.
gibt -- gives -- third person singular present indicative of "geben" "give." Note that the vowel changes.
seinem heiligen Wort -- dative after "glauben" -- archaic -- modern German uses the accusative.
durch seine Gnade -- through His grace -- "durch" is "through" -- cognates -- preposition taking the accusative case.
die Gnade -- grace -- theologically equivalent.
goettlich -- godly -- cognates -- adverb in this instance.
hier -- here -- cognates.
zeitlich -- die Zeit is "time" -- zeitlich -- temporal or, as adverb, temporally.
dort -- there -- cognates -- adverb.
Note: "da" and "dort" both mean "there." "Dort" is a bit more formal -- and it tends to indicate a greater distance. But the difference is minor and by no means absolute.
ewiglich -- eternally -- adverbs.
Note: German usually does not change the form of an adjective to make an adverb. We go from "eternal" (adjective) to "eternally" (adverb). German usually doesn't make any change -- but older German will sometimes be more like English in this regard. "Ewig" is the adjective for eternal -- and the adverb -- but here there is a holdover of adding "lich" as we still add "ly" to make an adverb.
Hier endet die neunte Lektion.
Christo befohlen!
Johannes M. "Herr Professor Pastor Doktor" Drueckhammer, Lakeview, Oregon
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