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Discussions: Texts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Translations: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4


Text for Cantata 126
Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort

Original German Text

English Translation

1. CHOR

Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort,
und steur des Papsts und Türken Mord,
die Jesum Christum, deinen Sohn,
stürzen wollen von seinem Thron.

Preserve us Lord, by your word,
and steer away murder by Papists and Turks,
who want to topple Jesus Christ,
your Son, from his throne.

2. ARIA (Tenor)

Sende deine Macht von oben,
Herr der Herren, starker Gott!
deine Kirche zu erfreuen
und der Feinde bittern Spott
augenblicklich zu zerstreuen.

Send your power from above,
Lord of lords, mighty God!
to delight your church
and to disperse the foe’s bitter mockery
in the blink of an eye.

3. CHORAL; REZITATIV (Alt, Tenor)

(chorale text shown in bold type)

ALT
Der Menschen Gunst und Macht wird wenig nützen,
wenn du nicht willt das arme Häuflein schützen,

ALT, TENOR
Gott heilger Geist, du Tröster wert,

TENOR
du weißt, daß die verfolgte Gottesstadt
den ärgsten Feind nur in sich selber hat
durch die Gefährlichkeit der falschen Brüder.

ALT, TENOR
gib dein'm Volk einerlei Sinn auf Erd,

ALT
daß wir, an Christi Leibe Glieder,
im Glauben eins, im Leben einig sei'n.

ALT, TENOR
Steh bei uns in der letzten Not!

TENOR
Es bricht alsdann der letzte Feind herein
und will den Trost von unsern Herzen trennen;
doch laß dich da als unsern Helfer kennen.

ALT, TENOR
G'leit uns ins Leben aus dem Tod!

ALTO
Human patronage and power will be of little use,
were you not to protect this poor little band,

ALTO, TENOR
God Holy Spirit, you valued comforter,

TENOR
you know that the persecuted city of God
has the most arrant of foes within itself
through the danger of false brethren.

ALTO, TENOR
make your people of one mind upon earth,

ALT
that we as members of Christ's body,
one in faith, be united in life.

ALTO, TENOR
Stand beside us in our final need!

TENOR
The ultimate foe thereupon closes in
wanting to sever your comfort from our hearts;
but make yourself apparent here, as our aide.

ALTO, TENOR
Guide us into life from death!

4. ARIA (Baß)

Stürze zu Boden, schwülstige Stolze!
Mache zunichte, was sie erdacht!
Laß sie den Abgrund plötzlich verschlingen,
wehre dem Toben feindlicher Macht,
laß ihr Verlangen nimmer gelingen!

Dash to the ground the pompous proud!
Reduce to nothing whatever they devise!
Let the abyss suddenly swallow them up,
defend against the rampage of hostile might,
let their demands no longer succeed!

5. REZITATIV (Tenor)

So wird dein Wort und Wahrheit offenbar
und stellet sich im höchsten Glanze dar,
daß du vor deine Kirche wachst,
daß du des heilgen Wortes Lehren
zum Segen fruchtbar machst;
und willst du dich als Helfer zu uns kehren,
so wird uns denn in Frieden
des Segens Überfluß beschieden.

So will your word and truth be apparent
and present itself in utmost radiance,
as you watch over your church,
as you make the lessons of the holy scriptures
fruitful for blessing,
and should you turn to us as aide,
then will be allotted to us
an abundance of blessing in peace.

6. CHORAL

Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich,
Herr Gott, zu unsern Zeiten;
es ist doch ja kein andrer nicht,
der für uns könnte streiten,
denn du, unser Gott, alleine.

Lend us peace mercifully,
Lord God, within our time;
there is indeed no one else
who could contend for us
but you our God alone.

Gib unsern Fürstn und aller Obrigkeit
Fried und gut Regiment,
daß wir unter ihnen
ein geruh'g und stilles Leben führen mögen
in aller Gottseligkeit und Ehrbarkeit.
Amen.

Grant our princes and all authorities
peace and good rule,
that we beneath them
may lead a peaceful and quiet life
in all God's blessedness and decorum.
Amen.


COMPOSED: February 4, 1725 (Leipzig) for Sexagesima (2nd Sunday before Lent)
LIBRETTIST: unknown. based on the hymn by Martin Luther (1542); Mvts 4-5. based on two supplemental stanzas to Luther's hymn by Justus Jonas (1493-1555); Mvt 6. Martin Luther, German version of Da pacem Domine (1529) plus the traditional supplementary stanza by Johann Walter (1566) derived from I Timothy 2:2
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 126: Erhalt uns Herr, bei deinem Wort for Sexagesima Sunday (1725)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 126 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 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-5 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Emblemata: BWV 126/1
Chorale Texts: Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort [BWV 126/1,~2,3,4-5] | Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich [BWV 126/6]

English Translations (English-10): Index by BWV Number | Index by Title | Index 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: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 14:09