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Text for Cantata 54
Widerstehe doch der Sünde

Original German Text

English Translation

1. ARIA (Alt)

Widerstehe doch der Sünde,
sonst ergreifet dich ihr Gift.
Laß dich nicht den Satan blenden;
denn die Gottes Ehre schänden,
trifft ein Fluch, der tödlich ist.

Resist sin indeed
lest its poison seize you.
Do not let Satan delude you;
for that which defames God’s honor
meets a curse which is fatal.

2. REZITATIV (Alt)

Die Art verruchter Sünden
ist zwar von außen wunderschön,
allein man muß hernach mit Kummer und Verdruß
viel Ungemach empfinden.
Von außen ist sie Gold,
doch will man weiter gehn,
so zeigt sich nur ein leerer Schatten
und übertünchtes Grab.
Sie ist den Sodomsäpfeln gleich,
und die sich mit derselben gatten,
gelangen nicht in Gottes Reich.
Sie ist als wie ein scharfes Schwert,
das uns durch Leib und Seele fährt.

This sort of loathsome sin
indeed seems beautiful on the outside,
one can only suffer with misery and affliction
great hardship thereafter.
On the outside it is gold,
yet if one goes further,
then only an empty shadow is revealed
and a shrouded grave.
It is akin to the apples of Sodom,*
and those who are keen on these
do not reach God's kingdom.
It is just like a sharp sword
driven through us, body and soul.

3. ARIA (Alt)

Wer Sünde tut, der ist vom Teufel,
denn dieser hat sie aufgebracht;
doch wenn man ihren schnöden Banden
mit rechter Andacht widerstanden,
hat sie sich gleich davongemacht.

Whoever commits sin is of the Devil,
for he is the one who wrought it,
yet when one resists its vile bands,
resisting with true reverence,
it is instantly disbanded.


*Apples of Sodom are a fruit described by ancient writers as externally of fair appearance but dissolving into smoke and ash when plucked


COMPOSED: ?March 24, 1715 (Weimar) for Oculi (Third Sunday in Lent)
LIBRETTIST: Georg Christian Lehms (1711)
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 54: Widerstehe doch der Sünde for Oculi [3rd Sunday in Lent] or 7th Sunday after Trinity (1715 ?)
Details | Complete Recordings: 1900-1949 | 1950-1959 | 1960-1969 | 1970-1979 | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2020-2029 | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

BWV 54 Text: German-1 | German-2 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-13 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-1 | French-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Lithuanian-1 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8

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 14:11