Short word of comfort for the sick friend and lament about the fast flight of time.
From a copy taken ex chirographo Lutheri in Cod. Dessav. B. communicated by H. Lindner in Theologische Studien und Kritiken 1835, Heft II, p. 345 and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 148.
To his extremely dear brother, Mr. "Johanni Schlaginhauffen", the faithful servant of Christ "in koten".
"Grace and peace in Christ! I hear that you are suffering, dear man, for which I am very sorry, and I pray Christ to have mercy on you and restore you to health and abundant ministry. I am quite well, thank God. And I do not know how the days slip away from me without the fruit that I should and would like to bear; I live so uselessly that I hate myself exceedingly. "I do not know how (where) the time passes so, and I accomplish so little. This is the sum." Pray for me that my work may be more fruitful. The Lord be with you. Greet from me your wife and your children, and trust in the Lord, and persevere in love for me, who will never leave you in the lurch in any brotherly service. 1534, Tuesday after Oculi [March 10].
Martin Luther, D.
2) Only when preparing the register did we realize that this letter had been translated by us, and we add it here.