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Cantata BWV 114
Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 114 - Ah, dear Christians, be consoled

Event: Chorale Cantata for the 17th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: Ephesians 4: 1-6; Gospel: Luke 14: 1-11
Text: Johannes Gigas (Mvts. 1, 4, 7); Anon (Mvts. 2, 3, 5, 7)
Chorale Text: Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Corno col Soprano, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost,
Wie tut ihr so verzagen!
Weil uns der Herr heimsuchen tut,
Laßt uns von Herzen sagen:
Die Straf wir wohl verdienet han,
Solchs muss bekennen jedermann,
Niemand darf sich ausschließen.

 

Ah, dear Christians, be consoled,
how you continue to be so disheartened !
Since the Lord afflicts us,
let us say from our hearts:
we have well deserved the punishment,
this must be confessed by everyone,
no one may excude himself.

       

2

Aria T

2

Aria [Tenor]

 

Flauto traverso solo, Continuo

   
 

Wo wird in diesem Jammertale
Vor meinen Geist die Zuflucht sein?
Allein zu Jesu Vaterhänden
Will ich mich in der Schwachheit wenden;
Sonst weiß ich weder aus noch ein.

 

Where will there be in this valley of misery
a refuge for my spirit?
Only to Jesus' fatherly hands
do I want to entrust myself in my weakness;
otherwise I do not know where to turn.

       

3

Recitativo B

3

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

O Sünder, trage mit Geduld,
Was du durch deine Schuld
Dir selber zugezogen!
Das Unrecht säufst du ja
Wie Wasser in dich ein,
Und diese Sündenwassersucht
Ist zum Verderben da
Und wird dir tödlich sein.
Der Hochmut aß vordem von der verbotnen Frucht,
Gott gleich zu werden;
Wie oft erhebst du dich mit schwülstigen Gebärden,
Dass du erniedrigt werden musst.
Wohlan, bereite deine Brust,
Dass sie den Tod und Grab nicht scheut,
So kämmst du durch ein selig Sterben
Aus diesem sündlichen Verderben
Zur Unschuld und zur Herrlichkeit.

 

O sinner, bear with patience
what you through your own guilt
have brought upon yourself!
Indeed you drink up injustice
just like water
and this overpowering thirst for sin
is there for your destruction

and will be fatal for you
Arrogance in days of old ate of the forbidden fruit
to become like God.
How often you rise up in revolt with pompous gestures,
so that you must be cast down.
Come, prepare your heart
so that it does not shun in fear death and the grave,
in this way through dying in blessedness you may come
from this sinful corruption
to innocence and glory.

       

4

Choral S

4

Chorale [Soprano]

 

Continuo

 

Continuo

 

Kein Frucht das Weizenkörnlein bringt,
Es fall denn in die Erden;
So muss auch unser irdscher Leib
Zu Staub und Aschen werden,
Eh er kömmt zu der Herrlichkeit,
Die du, Herr Christ, uns hast bereit'
Durch deinen Gang zum Vater.

 

The tiny grain of wheat bears no fruit
unless it falls into the ground;
in this way also must our earthly body
become dust and ashes
before it comes to the glory
that you, Lord Christ, have prepared for us
through your journey to the Father.

       

5

Aria A

5

Aria [Alto]

 

Oboe I, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Oboe I, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Du machst, o Tod, mir nun nicht ferner bange,
Wenn ich durch dich die Freiheit nur erlange,
Es muss ja so einmal gestorben sein.
Mit Simeon will ich in Friede fahren,
Mein Heiland will mich in der Gruft bewahren
Und ruft mich einst zu sich verklärt und rein.

 

You make me, O death, no longer afraid,
if it is through you that I achieve freedom,
for this reason once and for all I must die.
With Simeon I want to travel in peace,
my saviour will protect me in the grave
and one day call me to himself [when I am] transfigured and pure.

       

6

Recitativo T

6

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

 

Continuo

 

Indes bedenke deine Seele
Und stelle sie dem Heiland dar;
Gib deinen Leib und deine Glieder
Gott, der sie dir gegeben, wieder.
Er sorgt und wacht,
Und so wird seiner Liebe Macht
Im Tod und Leben offenbar.

 

Meanwhile take thought for your soul
and present it to your saviour;
give back your body and limbs
to God, who gave them to you.

He cares and watches,
and so the power of his love will be
made clear in life and death.

       

7

Choral

7

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Corno e Oboe I/II e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

 

Wir wachen oder schlafen ein,
So sind wir doch des Herren;
Auf Christum wir getaufet sein,
Der kann dem Satan wehren.
Durch Adam auf uns kömmt der Tod,
Christus hilft uns aus aller Not.
Drum loben wir den Herren.

 

Whether we wake or sleep
we belong to the Lord;
we have been baptised in Christ
who can protect us from Satan.
Through Adam death comes to us,
Christ helps us in all our troubles,
therefore we praise the Lord.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (September 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (September 2002)

Cantata BWV 114: Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost for 17th Sunday after Trinity (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 114 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost [BWV 114/1,~2-3,4,~5-6,7]

English Translations in Interlinear/Parallel Format (English-3): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted by Event | Note on English Translations


Texts & Translations: Main Page | Cantatas BWV 1-50 | Cantatas BWV 51-100 | Cantatas BWV 101-150 | Cantatas BWV 151-200 | Cantatas BWV 201-224 | Other Vocal BWV 225-249 | Chorales BWV 250-438 | Geistliche Lieder BWV 439-507 | AMN BWV 508-524 | Other Vocal 1081-1164 | BWV Anh | Chorale Texts | Emblemata | Sources | Poets & Composers
Discussions: Texts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Translations: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4




 

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Last update: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:21