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


Text for Cantata 166
Wo gehest du hin?

Original German Text

English Translation

1. ARIA (Baß)

Wo gehest du hin?

Where are you going?

2. ARIA (Tenor)

Ich will an den Himmel denken
und der Welt mein Herz nicht schenken.
Denn ich gehe oder stehe,
so liegt mir die Frag im Sinn:
Mensch, ach Mensch, wo gehst du hin?

I will think on heaven
and not offer the world my heart.
For whether I go or stay
still the question comes to mind:
Man [Jesus], oh man, where are you going?

3. CHORAL (Sopran)

Ich bitte dich, Herr Jesu Christ,
halt mich bei den Gedanken
und laß mich ja zu keiner Frist
von dieser Meinung wanken,
sondern dabei verharren fest,
bis daß die Seel aus ihrem Nest
wird in den Himmel kommen.

I bid you, Lord Jesus Christ,
keep me in your thoughts
and allow me, yes, no reprieve
to waver from this intent,
rather hereby firmly persevere,
until my soul abandons its nest
and comes to heaven.

4. REZITATIV (Baß)

Gleichwie die Regenwasser bald verfließen
und manche Farben leicht verschießen,
so geht es auch der Freude in der Welt,
auf welche mancher Mensch so viele Stücken hält;
denn ob man gleich zuweilen sieht,
daß sein gewünschtes Glücke blüht,
so kann doch wohl in besten Tagen
ganz unvermut' die letzte Stunde schlagen.

Just as rainwater swiftly runs off
and easily some paint does fade,
so too go the joys of this world,
of which many a person holds so many pieces;
for even when one occasionally sees
that his desired fortune blooms,
even so, indeed, in the best of days
quite unexpectedly the final hour can toll.

5. ARIA (Alt)

Man nehme sich in acht,
wenn das Gelücke lacht.
Denn es kann leicht auf Erden
vor abends anders werden,
als man am Morgen nicht gedacht.

One should be aware
whenever good fortune smiles.
For upon this earth it can easily
become different in the evening
than what one had imagined in the morning.

6. CHORAL

Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende,
hin geht die Zeit, her kommt der Tod.
Ach wie geschwinde und behende
kann kommen meine Todesnot!
Mein Gott, ich bitt durch Christi Blut:
machs nur mit meinem Ende gut!

Who knows how near my ending is,
as time goes by, death advances.
Oh, how swiftly and deftly
my dying woes do arrive!
My God, I bid you by Christ’s blood:
do make well my ending!


COMPOSED: May 7, 1724 (Leipzig) for Cantate (the 4th Sunday after Easter)
LIBRETTIST: unknown; Mvt. 1. John 16:5; Mvt. 3. Bartholomäus Ringwaldt, stanza 3 of Herr Jesu Christ, ich weiß gar wohl (1582); Mvt. 6. Ämilie Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, stanza 1 of Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende! ( 1686)
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 166: Wo gehest du hin? for Cantate [4th Sunday after Easter] (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 166 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-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-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Texts: Herr Jesu Christ, ich weiß gar wohl [BWV 166/3] | Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende [BWV 166/6]

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 14:10