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Cantata BWV 46
Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgendein Schmerz sei
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 46 - Behold and see

Event: Cantata for the 10th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11; Gospel: Luke 19: 41-48
Text: Lamentations I: 12 (Mvt. 1); Balthasar Schnurr (Mvt. 6); Anon (Mvts. 2-5)
Chorale Text: O großer Gott von Macht

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Flauto traverso I/II, Tromba o Corno da tirarsi, Oboe da caccia I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Schauet doch und sehet,
ob irgendein Schmerz sei wie mein Schmerz,
der mich trogen hat.
Denn der Herr hat mich voll
Jammers gemacht am Tage seines grimmigen Zorns.

 

Behold and see
if any grief is like my grief
that has befallen me

For the Lord has made me full of lamentation
on the day of his fierce anger.

       

2

Recitativo T

2

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Flauto traverso I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

So klage du, zerstörte Gottesstadt,
Du armer Stein- und Aschenhaufen!
Laß ganze Bäche Tränen laufen,
Weil dich betroffen hat
Ein unersetzlicher Verlust
Der allerhöchsten Huld,
So du entbehren musst
Durch deine Schuld.
Du wurdest wie Gomorra zugerichtet,
Wiewohl nicht gar vernichtet.
O besser! wärest du in Grund verstört,
Als dass man Christi Feind jetzt in dir lästern hört.
Du achtest Jesu Tränen nicht,
So achte nun des Eifers Wasserwogen,
Die du selbst über dich gezogen,
Da Gott, nach viel Geduld,
Den Stab zum Urteil bricht.

 

Lament then,city of God that has been destroyed,
you poor heap of stones and ashes!
Let whole streams of tears flow,
since there has befallen you
an irreparable loss
of the Almighty’s grace,
that you must do without
on account of your guilt.
You were battered like Gomorra,
although not quite destroyed.

Oh it were better that you should be razed to the ground
than that Christ’s enemy is heard blaspheming within you.
You do not take heed of Jesus’ tears,
therefore now take heed of the billows of his zeal
that you yourself have brought upon you
for God, after long patience,
breaks his staff in judgement.

       

3

Aria B

3

Aria [Bass]

 

Tromba o Corno da tirarsi, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Dein Wetter zog sich auf von weiten,
Doch dessen Strahl bricht endlich ein
Und muss dir unerträglich sein,
Da überhäufte Sünden
Der Rache Blitz entzünden
Und dir den Untergang bereiten.

 

The storm you have deserved comes on you from afar,
and now its flash bursts upon you
and it must be unendurable for you
since the overflowing heap of your sins
kindles lightning in revenge
and brings about your downfall.

       

4

Recitativo A

4

Recitative [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Doch bildet euch, o Sünder, ja nicht ein,
Es sei Jerusalem allein
Vor andern Sünden voll gewesen!
Man kann bereits von euch dies Urteil lesen:
Weil ihr euch nicht bessert
Und täglich die Sünden vergrößert,
So müsset ihr alle so schrecklich umkommen.

 

But don’t imagine, you sinners,
that it is Jerusalem only
that is full of sins that don’t concern you.
The same judgement can easily be made for all of you:
since you show no improvement
and fróm day to day increase your sins,
you are all bound to come to fearful ruin.

       

5

Aria A

5

Aria [Alto]

 

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe da caccia I/II all' unisono

   
 

Doch Jesus will auch bei der Strafe
Der Frommen Schild und Beistand sein,
Er sammelt sie als seine Schafe,
Als seine Küchlein liebreich ein;
Wenn Wetter der Rache die Sünder belohnen,
Hilft er, dass Fromme sicher wohnen.

 

But even in the punishment Jesus
will be a shield and assistance for the righteous.
He gathers them as his sheep,
gathers them most lovingly as his chicks;
if storms of vengeance are what sinners earn
he gives help so that the righteous dwell in safety.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Tromba o Corno da tirarsi col Soprano, Flauto traverso I, a due, Flauto traverso II, a due, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

O großer Gott von Treu,
Weil vor dir niemand gilt
Als dein Sohn Jesus Christ,
Der deinen Zorn gestillt,
So sieh doch an die Wunden sein,
Sein Marter, Angst und schwere Pein;
Um seinetwillen schone,
Uns nicht nach Sünden lohne.

 

O God great in your faithfulness
since nobody is worthy before you
as your son Jesus Christ
who appeases your anger,
then look to his wounds,
his suffering, anguish and great pain
and for his sake
do not reward us according to our sins.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format + Note on the Text

 

English Translation by Francis Browne (September 2005, October 2011)

Contributed by Francis Browne (October 2011)

Cantata BWV 46: Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgendein Schmerz sei for 10th Sunday after Trinity (1723)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 46 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-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Greek- 1 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Italian-4 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: O großer Gott von Macht [BWV 46/6]

English Translations in Interlinear/Parallel Format (English-3): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted 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: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:25