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Cantata BWV 147
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben
Source Text plus Literal & Verse English Translations
Cantata BWV 147 - Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life |
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Event: Cantata for the Feast of Visitation of Mary
Readings: Epistle: Isaiah 11: 1-5; Gospel: Luke 1: 39-56
Text: Salomo Franck (Mvts. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9); Martin Jahn (Mvts. 6, 10); Anon (Mvts. 2, 4, 6, 8)
Chorale Text: Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne |
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German Source Text |
Literal English Translation |
Metrical English Text for Performance |
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1. CHOR
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben
Muß von Christo Zeugnis geben
Ohne Furcht und Heuchelei,
Daß er Gott und Heiland sei. |
1. Choir
Heart and mouth and deed and life
Must of Christ testimony give
Without fear and hypocrisy
That He God and Savior is. |
1. Choir
Heart and mouth and how we’re living
Must of Christ witness be giving
(Without fearful forced pretense)
That He God and Savior is. |
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2. REZITATIV
Gebenedeiter Mund!
Maria macht ihr Innerstes der Seelen
Durch Dank und Rühmen kund;
Sie fänget bei sich an,
Des Heilands Wunder zu erzählen,
Was er an ihr als seiner Magd getan.
0 menschliches Geschlecht,
Des Satans und der Sünden Knecht,
Du bist befreit
Durch Christi tröstendes Erscheinen
Von dieser Last und Dienstbarkeit!
Jedoch dein Mund und dein verstockt
Gemüte
Verschweigt, verleugnet solche Güte;
Doch wisse, daß dich nach der Schrift
Ein allzuscharfes Urteil trifft! |
2. Recitative
Blessed [past tense] mouth!
Maria makes her inmost soul
Through thanks and giving glory known.
She sets herself about
The Savior’s miracle to relate,
What He in/to her as his maid has done.
O humankind / human race,
Of Satan and of sins [the] servant/slave,
Thou art set free
Through Christ’s comforting appearing
From this burden and servitude!
But yet thy mouth and thy hardened /
impenitent spirit
Keeps silent, disavows such kindness;
But know this, that on thee according to Scripture
An all-too-sharp judgment befalls. |
2. Recitative
O blessèd candid mouth!
Maria now the deep depths of her psyche
Through thanks and praise lays bare.
She now begins to tell,
The Savior’s miracle to relate:
What He in her as his handmaid has done.
O all too-human race,
Of Satan and of sins the slave,
You are set free
Through Christ’s new comforting appearing
From this hard load and slavery.
But yet your mouth and your resistant spirit
Stands mute and disallows such goodness.
But know this: Holy Scripture says
An all-too-sharp last judgment waits. |
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3. ARIE
Schäme dich, o Seele, nicht,
Deinen Heiland zu bekennen,
Soll er dich die seine nennen
Vor des Vaters Angesicht!
Doch wer ihn auf dieser Erden
Zu verleugnen sich nicht scheut,
Soll von ihm verleugnet werden,
Wenn er kommt zur Herrlichkeit. |
3. Aria
Shame yourself, O soul, not,
Thy Savior to acknowledge,
Shall he thee of his [own] name
Before the Father’s face!
But who him on this earth
To deny [him] does not shrink
Shall by him denied become
When he comes into glory. |
3. Aria
Feel no shame, O soul, at all:
Who your Savior is be telling.
You as His own He’ll be calling
When the Father judges all.
But who in this life is brazen,
To deny the Savior dares,
Won’t be recognized in heaven
When the Savior’s splendor shows. |
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4. REZITATIV
Verstockung kann Gewaltige verblenden,
Bis sie des Höchsten Arm vom Stuhle stößt;
Doch dieser Arm erhebt,
Obschon vor ihm der Erde Kreis erbebt,
Hingegen die Elenden,
So er erlöst.
0 hochbeglückte Christen,
Auf, machet euch bereit,
Itzt ist die angenehme Zeit,
Itzt ist der Tag des Heils: Der Heiland heißt
Euch Leib und Geist
Mit Glaubensgaben rüsten,
Auf, ruft zu ihm in brünstigem Verlangen,
Um ihn im Glauben zu empfangen! |
4. Recitative
Impenitence can [the] mighty cover- over/blind/delude,
Until they the Highest’s arm from
[their] chair/throne shoves.
But this arm raises up
Even if before him the earth’s orb trembles,
On the other hand the wretched
So/thus he/it redeems.
O highly lucky/fortunate Christians,
Up! Make yourselves ready
Now is the agreeable/acceptable time,
Now is the day of salvation: The Savior calls
You, body and soul
With faith’s gifts arm,
Up, call to him in ardent desire,
In order him in faith/belief to receive! |
4. Recitative
A proud heart fills the mighty with delusions
Until the Most High’s arm has thrown them down;
But this same arm lifts up,
E’en though it might the very earth disrupt,
Contrariwise the wretched,
Whom He redeems.
O you, most lucky Christians,
Up! Make yourselves prepared,
Now is the right and proper time,
Now is redemption’s day: The Savior calls
You, flesh and soul!
With gifts of faith for armor,
Up, call to Him with longing, hot and grieving,
For Him in faith to be receiving. |
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5. ARIE
Bereite dir, Jesu, noch itzo die Bahn,
Mein Heiland, erwähle
Die gläubende Seele,
Und siehe mit Augen der Gnaden mich an! |
5. Aria
Prepare to yourself, Jesu, yet now the path,
My savior, choose
The believing soul
And look with eyes of mercy on me. |
5. Aria
The path to you, Jesu, make ready the way.
My savior be choosing
The faith-seeking spirit,
And look with the eyes of compassion on me. |
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6. CHORAL
Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe,
0 wie feste halt ich ihn,
Daß er mir mein Herze labe,
Wenn ich krank und traurig bin.
Jesum hab ich, der mich liebet
Und sich mir zu eigen gibet;
Ach drum laß ich Jesum nicht,
Wenn mir gleich mein Herze bricht. |
6. Chorale
Well for me that I Jesus have,
Oh how tightly hold I him,
[So] that he for me my heart refreshes
When/if I’m sick and sorrowful.
Jesus have I, who me loves
And himself to me for my own gives.
Ah therefore leave I Jesus not,
When/if to me even my heart breaks.
Part Two – After the Sermon. |
6. Chorale
Well for me that I have Jesus!
Oh how tight I cling to him,
So that he my heart refreshes
When my health or spirit’s dim.
I have Jesus, who so loves me
That his very self he gives me.
So from Him I’ll not depart,
No matter what might break my heart.
Part Two – After the Sermon. |
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Parte seconda. Nach der Predigt. |
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7. ARIE
Hilf, Jesu, hilf, daß ich auch dich bekenne
In Wohl und Weh, in Freud und Leid,
Daß ich dich meinen Heiland nenne
Im Glauben und Gelassenheit,
Daß stets mein Herz von deiner Liebe brenne.
Hilf, Jesu, hilf! |
7. Aria
Help, Jesu, help that I also thee acknowledge
In weal and woe, in joy and sorrow,
That I thee my own Savior call/name
In faith and resignation,
That all the time my heart may of thy love burn.
Help, Jesu, help! |
7. Aria
Help, Jesu, help, that I may you acknowledge
In joy and pain, in weal and woe,
To call you Savior have the courage,
In faith and in calm letting go,
That ever my heart with your love be burning..
Help, Jesu, help! |
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8. REZITATIV
Der höchsten Allmacht Wunderhand
Würkt im Verborgenen der Erden.
Johannes muß mit Geist erfüllet werden,
Ihn zieht der Liebe Band
Bereits in seiner Mutter Leibe,
Daß er den Heiland kennt
Ob er ihn gleich noch nicht
Mit seinem Munde nennt,
Er wird bewegt, er hüpft und springet,
Indem Elisabeth das Wunderwerk ausspricht,
Indem Mariae Mund der Lippen Opfer bringet.
Wenn ihr, o Gläubige, des Fleisches Schwachheit merkt,
Wenn euer Herz in Liebe brennet,
Und doch der Mund den Heiland nicht bekennet,
Gott ist es, der euch kräftig stärkt,
Er will in euch des Geistes Kraft erregen,
Ja Dank und Preis auf eure Zunge legen. |
8. Recitative
The highest, Almighty’s wondrous hand
Works in the secret places of the earth,
[cf. Psalm 139:15ff]
John [the baptizer] must with spirit be filled;
Him draws love’s bond,
Already in his mother[‘s] body/womb,
[So] That he the Savior recognizes
If he Him even yet not
With his mouth names,
He becomes moved, he hops and jumps,
While Elizabeth the miracle declares,
While Maria’s mouth the lips’
offering/sacrifice brings.
If you, O believer, the flesh’s weakness observed,
If your heart in love burned,
And yet the/your mouth the Savior does not acknowledge,
God it is who you mightily strengthens.
He will in you the Spirit’s power excite,
Yea/indeed, thanks and praise upon
your [pl.] tongue [singular] lay. |
8. Recitative
The High Almighty’s wondrous hand
Worksin the earth’s dark secret places.
The unborn John must be filled with the Spirit,
He’s drawn by love’s own bond
Already in his mother’s body
So he the Savior knows
Though he as yet can not
With his small mouth confess,
Yet he is moved, he hops, he’s kicking,
The while Elizabeth that miracle declares,
Meanwhile Maria’s lips their holy gifts are bringing.
If you, O believer, the flesh’s weakness felt,
When your own heart with love was burning,
And yet your mouth the Savior’s not confessing,
God it is, who with might gives strength.
He will in you the Spirit’s power stir up,
Real thanks and praises on your tongue be laying. |
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9. ARIE
Ich will von Jesu Wundern singen
Und ihm der Lippen Opfer bringen,
Er wird nach seiner Liebe Bund
Das schwache Fleisch, den irdschen Mund
Durch heilges Feuer kräftig zwingen. |
9. Aria
I will of Jesus’ wonders sing
And Him the lips’ sacrifice bring;
He will according to his love[‘s] bond/ covenant
The weak flesh, the earthly/mortal mouth,
Through holy fire mightily constrain. |
9. Aria
I’ll be of Jesus’ wonders singing
And him my lips’ off’ring be bringing,
He will for his love’s covenant
The weak-kneed flesh, the earthy mouth
Subdue through holy fire’s power. |
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10. CHORAL
Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
Meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
Jesus wehret allem Leide,
Er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
Meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
Meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne;
Darum laß ich Jesum nicht
Aus dem Herzen und Gesicht. |
10. Chorale
Jesus remains my joy,
My heart’s comfort and sap/juice.
Jesus wards [off] all harm/hurt.
He is my life’s strength,
My eyes’ pleasure and sun,
Of my soul [the] treasure/darling and good spirits;
Therefore let I Jesus not
Out of the/my heart and sight/face. |
10. Chorale
Jesus stays my source of gladness.
He’s my courage and heart’s blood.
He wards off despair and sadness:
He’s my strength, my staff and rod,
My eyes’ sunshine, light and pleasure,
He’s my heart’s delight and treasure.
So I’ll let no thing erase
Him from what I love and face. |
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- Translation © 2013 by Paul Farseth |
- Translation © 2013 by Paul Farseth |
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Contributed by Paul Farseth (July 2013) |
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