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Text for Cantata 56
Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen

Original German Text

English Translation

1. ARIA (Baß)

Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen,
er kömmt von Gottes lieber Hand,
der führet mich nach meinen Plagen
zu Gott, in das gelobte Land.
Da leg ich den Kummer auf einmal ins Grab,
da wischt mir die Tränen mein Heiland selbst ab.

I will gladly bear the staff of the cross,
it is extended from God's dear hand,
it leads me, following my plight,
unto God, in the promised land.
There I will lay my troubles all at once in the grave,
there my Savior himself wipes away my tears.

2. REZITATIV (Baß)

Mein Wandel auf der Welt
ist einer Schiffahrt gleich:
Betrübnis, Kreuz und Not
sind Wellen, welche mich bedecken
und auf den Tod mich täglich schrecken;
mein Anker aber, der mich hält,
ist die Barmherzigkeit, womit mein Gott mich oft erfreut.
Der rufet so zu mir: ich bin bei dir,
ich will dich nicht verlassen noch versäumen!
Und wenn das wütenvolle Schäumen sein Ende hat,
so tret ich aus dem Schiff in meine Stadt,
die ist das Himmelreich,
wohin ich mit den Frommen
aus vielem Trübsal werde kommen.

My sojourn in this world
is like a ship’s voyage:
grief, burden and despair
are waves which cover me
and daily terrify me to death;
my anchor, however, which secures me
is the compassion by which God often cheers me.
He calls out thus to me: I am beside you,
I will not leave nor abandon you!
And when the ferocious foaming reaches its end,
then I will step off the ship into my city,
which is the kingdom of heaven,
into which I, along with the devout,
will emerge from great tribulation.

3. ARIA (Baß)

Endlich, endlich wird mein Joch
wieder von mir weichen müßen.
Da krieg ich in dem Herren Kraft,
da hab ich Adlers Eigenschaft,
da fahr ich auf von dieser Erden
und laufe sonder matt zu werden.
O gescheh es heute noch!

Finally, finally, my yoke will
be released from me once more.
Then I will gain strength in the Lord,
then I will take on the qualities of an eagle,
then I will journey upward from this earth
and run without growing weary.
O might this happen yet today!

4. REZITATIV; ARIOSO (Baß)

Ich stehe fertig und bereit,
das Erbe meiner Seligkeit
mit Sehnen und Verlangen
von Jesus Händen zu empfangen.
Wie wohl wird mir geschehn,
wenn ich den Port der Ruhe werde sehn.

Da leg ich den Kummer auf einmal ins Grab,
da wischt mir die Tränen mein Heiland selbst ab.

I stand ready and prepared,
with yearning and longing,
to receive the bequest of my blessing
from Jesus' hands.
How well it will occur to me
when I do behold that port of rest.

There I will lay my troubles all at once in the grave
there my Savior himself wipes away my tears.

5. CHORAL

Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder,
komm und führe mich nur fort;
löse meines Schiffleins Ruder,
bringe mich an sichern Port!
Es mag, wer da will, dich scheuen,
du kannst mich vielmehr erfreuen;
denn durch dich komm ich herein
zu dem schönsten Jesulein.

Come, O death, you brother of sleep,
come and simply lead me forth;
release the rudder of my tiny ship,
bring me into safe harbor!
Whoever wants may shun you,
you can delight me all the more;
for through you I come within
unto the loveliest baby Jesus.


COMPOSED: October 27, 1726 (Leipzig) for the 19th Sunday after Trinity
LIBRETTIST: unknown; Mvt 5. Johann Franck, stanza 6 of Du, o schönes Weltgebäude (1653)
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 56: Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen for 19th Sunday after Trinity (1726)
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
Articles: Program Notes to Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56 [S. Burton] | BWV 56 “Ich will den Xstab gerne tragen” - An Attempt to Trace the Symbols and Other Poetic Expressions in the Libretto Back to Their Original Sources [T. Braatz]

BWV 56 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-1 | Dutch-4 | Dutch-6 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-2 | Hebrew-3 | Hungarian-1 | Hungarian-2 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Japanese-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Romanian-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Emblemata: BWV 56/1
Chorale Text: Du, o schönes Weltgebäude [BWV 56/5]

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 14:11