Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

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


Text for Cantata 79
Gott, der Herr, ist Sonn und Schild

Original German Text

English Translation

1. CHOR

Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild.
Der Herr gibt Gnade und Ehre,
er wird kein Gutes mangeln lassen den Frommen.

God the Lord is sun and shield.
The Lord grants grace and honor,
he will not allow the devout
be lacking of any good thing.

2. ARIA (Alt)

Gott ist unsre Sonn und Schild!
Darum rühmet dessen Güte
unser dankbares Gemüte,
die er für sein Häuflein hegt.
Denn er will uns ferner schützen,
ob die Feinde Pfeile schnitzen
und ein Lästerhund gleich billt.

God is our sun and shield!
Thus our grateful souls extol him
whose benevolence
is cultivated for his clan.
For he will protect us furthermore
while foes file their arrows
or when the hound of hell howls.

3. CHORAL

Nun danket alle Gott
mit Herzen, Mund und Händen,
der große Dinge tut
an uns und allen Enden,
der uns von Mutterleib
und Kindesbeinen an
unzählig viel zugut
und noch itzund getan.

Now all thank God
with heart, mouth and hands,
who does great things
for us and all conclusions,
who for us, while in the mother's womb
and even through childhood,
enacted immeasurably great benefit
and does so even now.

4. REZITATIV (Baß)

Gottlob, wir wissen
den rechten Weg zur Seligkeit;
denn, Jesu, du hast ihn uns
durch dein Wort gewiesen,
drum bleibt dein Name jederzeit gepriesen.
Weil aber viele noch zu dieser Zeit
an fremdem Joch aus Blindheit ziehen müßen,
ach! so erbarme dich auch ihrer gnädiglich,
daß sie den rechten Weg erkennen
und dich bloß ihren Mittler nennen.

Praise God, we know
the true path to blessedness;
for you have pointed us toward Jesus
through your word,
thus may your name remain ever praised.
Since however, even at this moment,
many must, in their blindness, tow a foreign yoke,
oh! do have mercy graciously, on them as well,
that they distinguish the true path
and name you alone their mediator.

5. ARIA (Sopran, Baß)

Gott, ach Gott,
verlaß die Deinen nimmermehr!
Laß dein Wort uns helle scheinen;
obgleich sehr
wider uns die Feinde toben,
so soll unser Mund dich loben.

God, oh God,
forsake your own nevermore!
Let your word shine brightly upon us;
even if the foe
ardently rages against us,
so our mouths shall praise you.

6. CHORAL

Erhalt uns in der Wahrheit,
gib ewigliche Freiheit,
zu preisen deinen Namen
durch Jesum Christum. Amen.

Preserve us in the truth,
grant eternal freedom
to praise your name
through Jesus Christ. Amen.


COMPOSED: October 31, 1725 (Leipzig) for Reformation
LIBRETTIST: unknown; Mvt. 1. Psalm 84:11; Mvt. 3. Martin Rinckart, stanza 1 of Nun danket alle Gott (1636); Mvt. 6. Ludwig Helmbold, stanza 8 of Nun laßt uns Gott, dem Herren (1575)
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 79: Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild for Feast of Reformation (1725)
Details | Discography: 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

BWV 79 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
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 | Hebrew-3 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Portuguese-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Texts: Nun danket alle Gott [BWV 79/3] | Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren [BWV 79/6]

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




 

Back to the Top


Last update: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 14:12