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Discussions: Texts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Translations: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4


Text for Cantata 98
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, I

Original German Text

English Translation

1. CHOR

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
es bleibt gerecht sein Wille;
wie er fängt meine Sachen an,
will ich ihm halten stille.
Er ist mein Gott,
der in der Not
mich wohl weiß zu erhalten;
drum laß ich ihn nur walten.

Whatever God does, it is done for the good,
his will remains righteous;
however he commences with my concerns
I quietly wait upon him.
He is my God
who in distress
knows well how to preserve me;
thus I just let him prevail.

2. REZITATIV (Tenor)

Ach Gott! wenn wirst du mich einmal
von meiner Leidensqual, von meiner Angst befreien?
Wie lange soll ich Tag und Nacht um Hilfe schreien?
Und ist kein Retter da!
Der Herr ist denen allen nah,
die seiner Macht und seiner Huld vertrauen.
Drum will ich meine Zuversicht auf Gott alleine bauen,
denn er verläßt die Seinen nicht.

Oh, God! when will you finally liberate me
from my suffering anguish, from my anxiety?
How long, day and night, shall I cry for help?
And no rescuer is there!
The Lord is near to everyone
who trusts in his power and his grace.
Therefore I will build my confidence on God alone,
for he does not forsake his own.

3. ARIA (Sopran)

Hört, ihr Augen, auf zu weinen!
Trag ich doch
mit Geduld mein schweres Joch.
Gott, der Vater, lebet noch,
von den Seinen läßt er keinen.
Hört, ihr Augen, auf zu weinen!

Cease, you eyes, from crying!
Instead I will bear
with patience my heavy yoke.
God the Father lives on,
abandoning not one of his own.
Cease, you eyes, from crying!

4. REZITATIV (Alt)

Gott hat ein Herz, das des Erbarmens Überfluß;
und wenn der Mund vor seinen Ohren klagt
und ihm des Kreuzes Schmerz
im Glauben und Vertrauen sagt,
so bricht in ihm das Herz,
daß er sich über uns erbarmen muß.
Er hält sein Wort;
er saget: Klopfet an, so wird euch aufgetan!
Drum laßt uns alsofort,
wenn wir in höchsten Nöten schweben,
das Herz zu Gott allein erheben!

God has a heart overflowing with mercy;
and when a mouth laments to his ears
and in faith and trust tells him
of pains burden
then his heart breaks within him
that he must have mercy on us.
He keeps his word;
he says: Knock and it will be opened to you!
Thus let us straight away,
whenever we reel in great distress,
lift up our hearts to God alone!

5. ARIA (Baß)

Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht,
bis mich erst sein Angesicht
wird erhören oder segnen.
Er allein
soll mein Schutz in allem sein,
was mir Übels kann begegnen.

I will not let go of my Jesus,
until first his countenance
does answer or bless me.
He alone
shall be my protection from anything
evil which could confront me.


COMPOSED: November 10, 1726 (Leipzig) for the 21st Sunday after Trinity
LIBRETTIST: unknown; Mvt 1. Samuel Rodigast, stanza 1 of Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (1674), Mvt. 4. references Matthew 7:7
TRANSLATION: 2017 © Tobin Schmuck, NYC
Print by permission only, please. Click here.

Cantata BWV 98: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [I] for 21st Sunday after Trinity (1726)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 98 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 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [BWV 98/1]

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 14:12