song transition

[srvaldez]

hello to all German members, dkl, tjf, D.J.Peters and others
my mother passed away this June 11th and she had an old song that she wanted to have song at the funeral
my older brother recited the song since no-one knew how to sing it, but the song being in an old German language
was a bit problematic for me to understand, so I ask if any of you would translate it to english.
I have a rough understanding but I would like a translation that keeps the spirit of the song, not a word for word transliteration.

Kommt noch zum Sarg zum letzten Male
Ehe ich herausgetragen werde!
Seid nur getrost, Ihr dürft nicht klagen
Da ich doch zu des Himmels Herde
Geführt und Zugezählet bin.
Ach (Vater), (Mutter), Kinder, kommt auch hin!

Kommt, sehet mich zum letzten Male,
Dann tragt mich aus meine Haus heraus!
Mitdem sage ich Ade Euch allen;
Ich bin gewesen in meine Haus
Ein bessers wird Gott geben mir,
Da ich sehr schwer beseufzet.

Kommt, sehet mich zum letzten Male!
Ich muss jetzt fort. Kommt Ihr mir nach,
Dass wir uns sehen im Himmelssaale.
Ach, wenn Ihr alle darnach trachte,
Dann werden wir uns grüssen dort
An jenem süssen Himmelsort.

So hört mit Weinen auf, Ihr Meinen;
denn hier ist keine Bleibensstatt!
Tröste Euch, ich schwebe in lauter Freuden,
Dazu mich Gott erkoren hat
So führt mich nun zu meiner Gruft!
Da werde ich ruhen, bis Jesus ruft.

Lebt wohl (Gatte) (Gattin) und liebe Kinder,
Lebt wohl Schwestern und Brüder mein,
Lebt wohl, bis wir uns dort im Himmel
Einst alle sehen im Verein
Lebt wohl und ringet auch darnach
Lebt wohl zum letzten gute Nacht!

[St_W]

My condolences.

I tried to translate it. Unfortunately I don't know the song/text and it uses quite a lot of religious references and some old language I'm not used to. Furthermore it was quite hard for me sometimes to find an english phrase that has the same meaning than the original text. So my translation may not be 100% accurate. Maybe someone else can suggest better translations / correct mistakes.

Come to the coffin for a last time
before I get carried out [to the grave].
You don't have worry; don't cry
because heaven is where
I'm led to and where I belong to.
Oh father/mother/children get there too.

Come see me for a last time
then carry me out of my house.
That's my goodbye to everyone of you,
a goodbye to my home [on earth],
god will give me a better one [in heaven]
??? (because you all mourn for me) ???

Come see me for a last time,
I have to go now. Follow me [at a later time]
so that we see [meet] in heaven.
When you all strive for going there,
then we'll welcome us there
at that wonderful place in heaven.

So stop wining, my friends,
because I won't stay here [in grave] for ever.
It may be a comfort to you that I feel very good
as that's my destiny that god has defined.
So take me to my grave
where I will rest until Jesus calls me [referring to resurrection]

Farewell husband/wife and my beloved children,
farewell my brothers and sisters,
farewell until we meet in heaven
altogether
farewell and strive for that too
farewell and good night for the last time.

The stanzas first describe the steps in a typical (christian) funeral. The next sentences often refer to the religious meaning.

The first stanza describes the people coming to the coffin and crying/wining. It says they don't have to because of the belief in resurrection. So there's hope.
The next stanza describes leaving the house/home where the person has spent his/her whole life. (In former times people were laid out at their homes first as described in the first stanza). It also says that the new home in heaven will be a better one.
The third stanza describes ascent into heaven. It says that it's a wonderful place there and that all will meet there at a time, if all strive to get there [if they believe in god].
The fourth stanza refers to resurrection. It says that the grave on earth, where the coffin will be buried, will not be a place to stay forever. It says that the person is full of happiness because he/she believes in god and knows about his/her destiny, waiting for the day of resurrection.
The last stanza is a farewell to all relatives and friends, again mentions re-union in heaven and finally refers to the end of living on earth ("good night").

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I've googled for the songtext and haven't found a single result. Do you know from which region of austria/germany/switzerland that song comes from?
Maybe the older guys here still know the phrases that I wasn't sure how to translate or even know the song?

[srvaldez]

hello St_W
that's a very good translation, thank you.
unfortunately I don't know where the song originated, it's from a very old song book which I don't have, was only given a copy of the song.