Trauer-Album — Tomb illustration

English translation

My tears seek comfort, and because people cannot grant it to me with words, I turn to You for relief, my merciful God, and rise from the depths. Give me—O give me back—the lost peace of my soul. I feel that no sorrow happens to anyone without Your will, and that if You defend me, not one hair of my head can be bent. You alone can scatter balm upon my bleeding wound. You alone can lead me out of the dark night of my suffering. Therefore I seek the heavenly manna of Your faith; with a thirsting soul I breathe in the consolations of Your teaching and Your promises. I believe that beyond the earth there is reunion above and that You have not taken my dearest one forever. O my Lord, my God! I pray before You for my dearest one who has gone to rest. Redeem his (her) soul above with You; grant him (her) eternal salvation. Through Your angels let the message of my boundless love and longing reach him (her), and tell him (her) that I shall mourn until my death. But take me and my mourning family into Your grace, my God. Make the fullness of my pain bearable and dry my burning tears, so that I may praise You until my dying day without ever wavering in my faith and hope in You, my God, my Lord, my refuge and my redeemer—my shelter. Amen.

Complete English translation of the legible text prepared for the Reichenbach Family Archive. Brackets identify text that is blank, damaged or not securely legible.