In the textbook accompanying the CD Laments of Mary in the Late Middle Ages (with the Stabat Mater from Mönch von Salzburg) we found the New High German translation of the original Latin text. Luther’s 1545 translation of the Bible is also included in this German. It was used from about 1350 to 1650.

Mönch von Salzburg’s translation usually faithfully follows the content of the Latin Stabat Mater. However, at times, he does make edits to the original text. For instance, in Stanzas 11 and 12, he includes the lines ‘Und hiet ich hunderttausend czungen und redt ich aller engel sprach…’ (even if I knew a hundred thousand languages and spoke the language of angels…), which alludes to the words found in 1 Corinthians 13: ‘Even if I spoke all the languages of men and of angels but I had not love…’

Maria stuend in swindem smerczen
pey dem kreucz und waint von herczen
Da ir werder sun an hieng
Ir geadelte zartte sele
ser betruebt in jamers quele
scharff ein sneyduntz swert durchgieng.

Complete translation of the Latin Stabat Mater text in New High German.