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Cantata BWV 176: Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding for Trinity Sunday (1725)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 176 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 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-5 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Was alle Weisheit in der Welt [BWV 176/6]

English Translations in Interlinear/Parallel Format (English-3): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted by Event | Note on English Translations

Cantata BWV 176
Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 176 - There is something obstinate and desperate

Event: Cantata for Trinity Sunday
Readings:
Epistle: Romans 11: 33-36; Gospel: John 3: 1-15
Text:
Jeremiah 17: 9 (Mvt. 1); Paul Gerhardt (Mvt. 6); Christiane Mariane von Ziegler (Mvts. 2-5) (amended by J.S. Bach)
Chorale Text:
Was alle Weisheit in der Welt

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe I/II, Oboe da caccia, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding
um aller Menschen Herze.

 

There is something obstinate and desperate in the heart of every human being.

       

2

Recitativo A

2

Recitative [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Ich meine, recht verzagt,
Dass Nikodemus sich bei Tage nicht,
Bei Nacht zu Jesu wagt.
Die Sonne musste dort bei Josua so lange stille stehn,
So lange bis der Sieg vollkommen war geschehn;
Hier aber wünschet Nikodem: O säh ich sie zu Rüste gehn!

 

I think that really desperate
Nicodemus not by day
But by night dared to meet Jesus.
There the sun
had to stand still so long for Joshua,
so long until the victory was achieved;
But here Nicodemus wishes
: “Oh, if only I saw it setting"!

       

3

Aria S

3

Aria [Soprano]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Dein sonst hell beliebter Schein
Soll vor mich umnebelt sein,
Weil ich nach dem Meister frage,
Denn ich scheue mich bei Tage.
Niemand kann die Wunder tun,
Denn sein Allmacht und sein Wesen,
Scheint, ist göttlich auserlesen,
Gottes Geist muss auf ihm ruhn.

 

Your beloved light which is otherwise bright
for me must be covered over with clouds,
so that I may ask for the master,
for I am afraid by day.
No man can do the miracles

since his omnipotence and essence,
it seems, is divinely chosen,
God's spirit must rest on him.

       

4

Recitativo B

4

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

So wundre dich, o Meister, nicht,
Warum ich dich bei Nacht ausfrage!
Ich fürchte, dass bei Tage
Mein Ohnmacht nicht bestehen kann.
Doch tröst ich mich, du nimmst mein Herz und Geist
Zum Leben auf und an,
Weil alle, die nur an dich glauben, nicht verloren werden.

 

Therefore do not be astonished, O Master,
that I question you by night!
I fear that by day

my weakness cannot endure.
Yet I comfort myself, my heart and spirit

are accepted and taken up by you into life,
for all who only believe in you will not be lost.

       

5

Aria A

5

Aria [Alto]

 

Oboe I/II e Oboe da caccia all' unisono, Continuo

   
 

Ermuntert euch, furchtsam und schüchterne Sinne,
Erholet euch, höret, was Jesus verspricht:
Dass ich durch den Glauben den Himmel gewinne.
Wenn die Verheißung erfüllend geschicht,
Werd ich dort oben
Mit Danken und Loben
Vater, Sohn und Heilgen Geist
Preisen, der dreieinig heißt.

 

Take courage, fearful and timid spirits,
recover, hear what Jesus promises:
that through faith I shall gain heaven,
when the promise is fulfilled,
there above

with thanks and praise
I shall glorify the father, son and holy spirit
who are called triune.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe I e Violino I col Soprano, Oboe II e Violino II coll'Alto, Oboe da caccia e Viola col Tenore, Continuo

 

Auf dass wir also allzugleich
Zur Himmelspforten dringen
Und dermaleinst in deinem Reich
Ohn alles Ende singen,
Dass du alleine König seist,
Hoch über alle Götter,
Gott Vater, Sohn und Heilger Geist,
Der Frommen Schutz und Retter,
Ein Wesen drei Personen.

 

In this way therefore we
break through to the gates of heaven
and one day in your kingdom
we shall sing without end
that you alone are King,
high above all the gods,
God
the Father, son and holy spirit
protector and saviour of the devout
one being, three persons.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (October 2008)

Contributed by Francis Browne (October 2008)


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: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:23