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Cantata BWV 80
Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 80 - A mighty fortressis our God

Event: Feast of the Reformation
Readings: Epistle: 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-8; Gospel: Revelations 14: 6-8
Text: Martin Luther (Mvts. 1, 2, 5, 8); Salomo Franck (Mvts. 3, 4, 6, 7)

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Violoncello, Violone, Organo

   
 

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,
Ein gute Wehr und Waffen;
Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,
Die uns itzt hat betroffen.
Der alte böse Feind,
Mit Ernst er's jetzt meint,
Groß Macht und viel List
Sein grausam Rüstung ist,
Auf Erd ist nicht seinsgleichen.

 

A mighty fortress is our God,
a good defence and weapon;
he helps us freely out of the distress

that we have now met with.
The old evil enemy

earnestly plots against us,
great might and many forms of deceit

are his fearsome weapons,
on earth there is none to match him.

       

2

Aria B e Choral S

2

Aria [Bass] and Chorale [Soprano]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola all' unisono, Continuo

   
 

Bass:
Alles, was von Gott geboren,
Ist zum Siegen auserkoren.

 

Bass:
All that is born of God
Is destined for victory.

 

Sopran:
Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan,
Wir sind gar bald verloren.
Es streit' vor uns der rechte Mann,
Den Gott selbst hat erkoren.

 

Soprano:
By our own power nothing is accomplished
We are very soon lost.
the right man fights for us

Whom God himself has chosen.

 

Bass:
Wer bei Christi Blutpanier
In der Taufe Treu geschworen,
Siegt im Geiste für und für.

 

Bass:
Those who by the bloodstained banner of Christ
have sworn faithfulness in baptism
gain victory in the spirit for ever and ever.

Sopran:
Fragst du, wer er ist?
Er heißt Jesus Christ,
Der Herre Zebaoth,
Und ist kein andrer Gott,
Das Feld muss er behalten.

Soprano:
Do you ask who he is?
he is called Jesus Christ,
the Lord of Sabaoth,
and there is no other god

He shall hold the field of battle.

 

Bass:
Alles, was von Gott geboren,
Ist zum Siegen auserkoren.

 

Bass:
All that is born of God
is destined to victory.

       

3

Recitativo B

3

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Erwäge doch, Kind Gottes, die so große Liebe,
Da Jesus sich
Mit seinem Blute dir verschriebe,
Wormit er dich
Zum Kriege wider Satans Heer
und wider Welt, und Sünde
Geworben hat!
Gib nicht in deiner Seele
Dem Satan und den Lastern statt!
Laß nicht dein Herz,
Den Himmel Gottes auf der Erden,
Zur Wüste werden!
Bereue deine Schuld mit Schmerz,
Dass Christi Geist mit dir sich fest verbinde!

 

Only consider, child of God how great his love,
since Jesus himself

with his blood has given his pledge for you,
by which

for the war against Satan's army and against the world and sin,
He has enlisted you!
Do not give any place in your soul
to Satan and depravity!
Do not let your heart,
God's heaven on earth,
become a desert!
Repent your guilt with sorrow

so that Christ's spirit may be firmly united with you!

       

4

Aria S

4

Aria [Soprano]

 

Continuo

   
 

Komm in mein Herzenshaus,
Herr Jesu, mein Verlangen!
Treib Welt und Satan aus
Und lass dein Bild in mir erneuert prangen!
Weg, schnöder Sündengraus!

 

Come into my heart's house,
Lord Jesus, my desire!
Drive out the
world and Satan
and let you image renewed within me shine in splendour!
Away, loathsome horror of sin!

       

5

Choral

5

Choral [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe d'amore I/II, Taille, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär
Und wollten uns verschlingen,
So fürchten wir uns nicht so sehr,
Es soll uns doch gelingen.
Der Fürst dieser Welt,
Wie saur er sich stellt,
Tut er uns doch nicht,
Das macht, er ist gericht',
Ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.

 

And if the world were full of devils
and they wanted to devour as
then we would not be very afraid,
we would still be successful.
The Prince of this world,
however grimly he presents himself

can do nothing against us,
since he is already condemned,
a little word can fell him.

       

6

Recitativo T

6

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

So stehe dann bei Christi blutgefärbten Fahne,
O Seele, fest
Und glaube, dass dein Haupt dich nicht verlässt,
Ja, dass sein Sieg
Auch dir den Weg zu deiner Krone bahne!
Tritt freudig an den Krieg!
Wirst du nur Gottes Wort
So hören als bewahren,
So wird der Feind gezwungen auszufahren,
Dein Heiland bleibt dein Hort!

 

Then take your stand by Christ's bloodstained banner,
O soul, firmly,
and believe that your leader will not forsake you,
yes
, that his victory
Will open the way to your crown!
March joyfully to
war!
If only God's word

is both heard and kept by you
then your enemy wull be forced to withdraw,
your saviour remains your protector!

       

7

Aria (Duetto) A T

7

Aria (Duet) [Alto, Tenor]

 

Oboe da caccia, Violino, Continuo

   
 

Wie selig sind doch die, die Gott im Munde tragen,
Doch selger ist das Herz, das ihn im Glauben trägt!
Es bleibet unbesiegt und kann die Feinde schlagen
Und wird zuletzt gekrönt, wenn es den Tod erlegt.

 

How blessed are those who bear God in their mouths,
but more blessed is the heart that bears God in faith
Such a heart remains unconquered and can strike its enemies
and will in the end be crowned after death has been defeated.

       

8

Choral

8

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Instrumentierung nicht überliefert

   
 

Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn
Und kein' Dank dazu haben.
Er ist bei uns wohl auf dem Plan
Mit seinem Geist und Gaben.
Nehmen sie uns den Leib,
Gut, Ehr, Kind und Weib,
Laß fahren dahin,
Sie habens kein' Gewinn;
Das Reich muss uns doch bleiben.

 

They shall pay no heed to God's word
And have no thanks for it.
He is indeed with us on the field of battle

With his Spirit and his gifts.
Let them take our body

wealth,honour, child and wife
let them be taken away,
they gain nothing by this;
The kingdom must still remain ours.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (July 2008)

Contributed by Francis Browne (July 2008)

Cantata BWV 80: Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott for Feast of Reformation (1735-1740)
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 | Part 7

BWV 80 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-8 | English-10 | English-13 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Japanese-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Emblemata: BWV 80/4
Chorale Text: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott [BWV 80/1,2,5,8]

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 14:26