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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


Text for Cantata 142
Uns ist ein Kind geboren

Original German Text

English Translation

1. CONCERTO

2. CHOR

Uns ist ein Kind geboren,
ein Sohn ist uns gegeben.

Unto us a child is born,
a son to us is given,.

3. ARIA

Dein Geburtstag ist erschienen,
so erfordert meine Pflicht,
dich, mein Jesu, zu bedienen,
doch ich Armer weiß gar nicht,
was ich suche, was ich finde,
welches dir zum Angebinde
als ein heilig Opfer tügt,
dich, o großer Gott, vergnügt.

Your day of birth has appeared,
so duty compels me
to attend to you, my Jesus,
yet, poor as I am, I know not at all
what to seek, what to find,
which would be gift for you
acceptable as a sacred offering,
to please you, O great God.

4. CHOR

Ich will den Namen Gottes loben mit einem Liede,
und will ihn hoch ehren mit Dank.

I will praise the name of God with a song,
and will highly honor him with thanks.

5. ARIA

Jesu, dir sei Dank gesungen,
Jesu, dir sei Ehr' und Ruhm!
Denn das Los ist mir in allen
auf das Lieblichste gefallen,
du, du bist mein Eigenthum.

Jesus, to you thanks be sung,
Jesus, to you be honor and glory!
For my lot in all things
was cast for that most dear,
you, you are my possession.

6. REZITATIV

Immanuel! du wollest dir gefallen lassen,
daß dich mein Geist und Glaube kann umfassen;
kann ich die Freude gleich so herzlich nicht entdecken,
die dein Geburtstag will erwecken,
wird doch mein schwaches Lallen,
dir durch Lob und Preis gefallen.

Immanuel! you will let it be your pleasure
that my spirit and faith cling to you;
can I in earnest suddenly suppress the joy
that your day of birth does arouse
would that my meager prattle still
please you through laud and praise.

7. ARIA

Jesu, dir sei Preis gesungen,
denn ich bin durch dich erlöst,
nichts betrübet das Gemüthe,
da mein Herz durch deine Güte
überschwenglich wird getröst't.

Jesus, praise be sung to you,
for through you am I redeemed,
nothing can distress the mind,
for my heart, by your goodness,
will be effusively comforted.

8. CHORAL

Alleluja, gelobet sei Gott,
singen wir all' aus unsers Herzens Grunde:
denn Gott hat heut' gemacht solch Freud',
der wir vergeßen soll'n zu keiner Stunde.

Alleluia, praise be God,
we all sing from our hearts’ foundation:
for God today has caused such joy
which we shall not forget at any an hour.


COMPOSED: ?1720 (Leipzig) for Christmas Day
COMPOSER: Probably Johann Kuhnau (previously attributed to J. S. Bach)
LIBRETTIST: Erdmann Neumeister; Mvt 2: Isaiah 9:6 CHORALE TUNE: anon. Wir Christenleut (1589)
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 142: Uns ist ein Kind Geoboren for Christmas Day (1720?)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discography: Discussions

Johann Kuhnau: Short Biography
Discussions: Johann Kuhnau & Bach
Works: Cantata BWV 142 | Motet Tristis est anima mea / Der Gerechte kömmt um | Passions-Pasticcio BWV 1088 | Music

BWV 142: Text: German-5 | German-6 | German-7
Translations: English-3I | English-3P | English-10
Chinese-2 | French-5 | French-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3

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