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


Text for Cantata 151
Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt

Original German Text

English Translation

1. ARIA (Sopran)

Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt,
Jesus wird anitzt geboren!
Herz und Seele freuet sich,
denn mein liebster Gott hat mich
nun zum Himmel auserkoren.

Sweet comfort, my Jesus comes,
Jesus is now to be born!
Heart and soul rejoice
for my dearest God
has now designated me for heaven.

2. REZITATIV (Baß)

Erfreue dich, mein Herz,
denn itzo weicht der Schmerz,
der dich so lange Zeit gedrücket.
Gott hat den liebsten Sohn,
den er so hoch und teuer hält,
auf diese Welt geschicket.
Er läßt den Himmelsthron
und will die ganze Welt
aus ihren Sklavenketten
und ihrer Dienstbarkeit erretten.
O wundervolle Tat!
Gott wird ein Mensch und will auf Erden
noch niedriger als wir
und noch viel ärmer werden.

Rejoice, my heart,
for as of now the pain recedes
which weighed so long upon you.
God has sent into this world
his dearest son whom he holds
so exalted and precious.
He [Jesus] abandons the throne of heaven
and will release the entire world
from its chains of slavery
and its servitude.
O wonderful deed!
God becomes human and here on earth
will become lowlier yet than we
and even more impoverished.

3. ARIA (Alt)

In Jesu Demut kann ich Trost,
in seiner Armut Reichtum finden.
Mir macht desselben schlechter Stand
nur lauter Heil und Wohl bekannt,
ja, seine wundervolle Hand
will mir nur Segenskränze winden.

In Jesus’ humility I can find solace,
in his poverty, wealth.
This same lowly status informs me
of vast salvation and wellbeing,
yes, his wonder-filled hand
will braid for me mere garlands of blessing.

4. REZITATIV (Tenor)

Du teurer Gottessohn,
nun hast du mir den Himmel aufgemacht
und durch dein Niedrigsein
das Licht der Seligkeit zuwege bracht.
Weil du nun ganz allein
des Vaters Burg und Thron
aus Liebe gegen uns verlassen,
so wollen wir dich auch
dafür in unser Herze fassen.

You precious Son of God,
you now have opened heaven before me
and by lowering yourself
brought forth the light of blessing.
For now you of your own accord
abandoned the Father’s fortress and throne
out of love for us,
so shall we too
therefore clasp you in our hearts.

5. CHORAL

Heut schleußt er wieder auf die Tür
zum schönen Paradeis,
der Cherub steht nicht mehr dafür,
Gott sei Lob, Ehr und Preis.

Today he unlatches the gate once more
into beautiful paradise,
thus the cherub no longer stands guard before it,
to God be laud, honor and praise.


COMPOSED: December 27, 1725 (Leipzig) for the 3rd Day of Christmas
LIBRETTIST: Georg Christian Lehms (1711); Mvt. 5. Nikolaus Herman, stanza 8 of Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich (1560)
TRANSLATION: 2023 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 151: Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt for 3rd Day of Christmas (1725)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 151 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 | Hebrew-6 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich [BWV 151/5]

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 14:10