Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: NLGB 339; GH 317
Author: Johann Leon (1589)
Melody: Ich weiß mir ein Röslein hübsch und fein = Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt) (Zahn 1678) | Composer: Anon (Frankfurt/Main, 1589), based on a 16th century melody
Theme: Death & Dying

Description:

Johann Leon’s hymn, “Ich hab’ mein Sach’ Gott heimgestellt,” was first published in Psalmen, geistliche Lieder und Kirchengesäng (Nürnberg, 1589). The author was born at Ohrdruf, near Gotha, and after service as an army chaplain became pastor at Königsee and Wölfis. He died at Wölfis in 1597.
The melody was originally a secular folksong documented 1500 with the original title: “Es ist auf Erd kein schwerer Leidn”. Associated with J. Leon's hymn are two melodies, both of which are used by J.S. Bach, and are traced to the same origin, a contrafact of the secular song as religious song/four-part setting (supra) chorale "Ich weiß mir ein Röslein hübsch und fein" (which is an allegorical reference to the Gospel - not a pretty young girl as one might otherwise expect) as such it was contained in a hymnal by Johann Rau, Frankfurt am Main, 1589. Precisely when the melody became associated with Leon’s text is not known, but probably this occurred at the very end of the 16^th century. The Tenor of the setting becomes the melody of J. Leon's hymn in a Hymn-book dated 1609 and in Witt (No. 317). J.S. Bach introduces it into the orchestral accompaniment of Cantata BWV 106 (1711). Meanwhile, the descant melody of the 1589 four-part setting also became attached to J. Leon’s hymn in David Wolder’s Hymn-book, published in 1598. J.S. Bach uses this tune in the Organ movements infra, and there is a four-part setting of it among the Choralgesänge, No. 182 (BWV 351). J.S. Bach’s text is practically invariable. The D natural which he substitutes for F natural as the fourth note of the melody (supra) has early (1611) sanction. His variant of the opening of the second line of the stanza (notes 3-5 of line 2 supra) follows a reconstruction of the melody which became the accepted form of the tune in Hymn-books after 1601, when it first appears.
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works [1921], pp 190-192 , with additions by Thomas Braatz (January 2005)

"Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt". Wackernagel, iv. p. 519, gives this, in 18 stanzas of 5 lines, from the Psalmen, geistliche Lieder und Kirchengesäng, Nürnberg, 1589; with a long note, in which he traces all the stanzas save xi., xiv., xv., viii., to Leon's Trostbüchlein, and to his Leich-Predigten [i.e. "Funeral Sermons"], 1581-82. Mützell, No. 347, cites it as in the Psalmen, geistliche Lieder und Lobgesänge, Strassburg, n.d., but apparently before 1587. In the Berlin Geistlicher Lieder Schatz, ed. 1863, No. 1460.
This hymn has been frequently ascribed to Dr. Johann Pappus [b. Jan. 16, 1549, at Lindau on the Lake of Constanz; 1571, professor of Hebrew at the University of Strassburg; d. at Strassburg, July 13, 3610]; but this ascription has not been traced earlier than about 1640, e.g. in the Cantionale sacrum, Gotha, pt. iii., 1648, No. 18, and the Königsberg Gesang-Buch, 1650, p. 530. Lauxmann, in Koch, viii. 609, thinks that Pappus may have arranged the hymn in its present form. It was probably suggested by a song beginning, "Ich hab meine Sach zu Gott gestellt," which Wackernagel iii., Nos. 1242, 1243, quotes from a Leipzig broadsheet of 1555, and other sources.
This hymn has been translated as:
1. My Life I now to God resign. By J. O. Jacobi, in his Psalter Germanica, pt. ii., 1725, p. 56 (1732, p. 199), omitting st. vii., xv., xvi. Repeated in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754, pt. i., No. 313 (1886, No. 1242, beginning with the translation of st. viii., "Teach us to number so our days"), and in J. A. Latrobe's Collection, 1841 and 1852. In the Bible Hymn Book 1845, it begins with st. iii., "What is this life? a constant scene."
2. My all I to my God commend. A very good translation of stanzas i., iii., vi., viii., x., xi., xiv., xvii., by A. T. Russell, as No. 246, in his Psalms & Hymns 1851; repeated, abridged, in Dr. Pagenstecher's Collection, 1864, and Kennedy, 1863, No. 156. Dr. Kennedy, also gives a cento, beginning with the translation of stanza x., "Few are our days and sad below."
3. My cause is God's, and I am still. A good tr. of stanzas i., xi.-xiv., xvi.-xviii., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 2nd Ser., 1858, p. 210; repeated, omitting the translations of stanzas xii., xvii., in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 127. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
Source: Hymnary.org (from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, 1907)

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorale Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt, BWV 351
Ref: RE 19; Br 19; KE 182; Birnstiel 22; AmB 46II p.169; Levy–Mendelssohn 36; Fasch p.71; BGA 98; BC F102.1; CST 188

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt,
er machs mit mir, wie’s ihm gefällt.Soll ich allhier noch länger leben,ohn Widerstrebnseim Willen tu ich mich ergebn

I have left all that concerns me up to God
Let him do whatever he wants with me.
If I continue to live on here still longer,
without striving against him.
I will surrender myself to his will.

2. Mein Zeit und Stund ist, wann Gott will;
ich schreib ihm nicht vor Maß noch Ziel. Es sind gezählt all Härlein mein,beid groß und klein;fällt keines ihn den Willen sein.

My time and hour will be when God wills;
I do not dictate to him any bounds.
My each and every hair is numbered,
Both great and small;
Not a single one falls without His will.

3. Es ist allhier ein Jammertal,
Angst, Not und Trübsal überall;des Bleibens ist ein kleine Zeitvoll Müh und Leid,und wers bedenkt, ist stets im Streit.

All around here is a valley of tears,
there is fear, want and misery everywhere;
our stay here is only for a short time
full of trouble and suffering,
and whoever begins to think about it, is continually in conflict.

4. Es hilft kein Reichtum, Geld noch Gut,
kein Kunst noch Gunst noch stolzer Mut;
fürn Tod kein Kraut gewachsen ist;
mein frommer Christ,
alles, was lebet, sterblich ist.

There is no help in wealth, money or property,
no help in art, popularity, or a proud spirit;
for death there grows no healing herb;
my pious Christian,
everything that lives is mortal.

5. Heut sind wir frisch, gesund und stark
und liegen morgen tot im Sarg;
heut blühen wir wie Rosen rot,bald krank und tot;ist allenthalben Müh und Not.

Today we are vigorous, healthy and strong
and tomorrow we may be lying dead in a coffin.
Today we blossom like red roses,
Only soon to be sick and dead;
Everywhere there is trouble and distress.

6. Man trägt eins nach dem andern hin,wohl aus den Augen, aus dem Sinn;die Welt vergisset unser bald,ob jung, ob altauch unsrer Ehren mannigfalt.

One after another people are carried away from here
away from our eyes and our thoughts;
The world will soon forget us
whether we are young or old,
they will even forget our manifold glorious deeds.

7. Ach Herr, lehr uns bedenken wohl,
daß wir sind sterblich allzumal,
auch wir allhier kein Bleibens han,
müssn all davon,gelehrt, reich, jung, alt oder schön.

O Lord, teach us to consider well
that we are always mortal,
All of us here have no steady place to stay,
We all have to leave,
Whether well-educ, rich, young, old or beautiful.

8. Das macht die Sünd, du treuer Gott,dadurch ist komm’n der bittre Tod,der nimmt und frißt all Menschenkind,wie er sie findt,fragt nicht, wes Stands und Ehrn sie sind.

O faithful God, this has come about through sin
And bitter death resulted from that,
Death takes and devours all types of human beings
Wherever he finds them,
And he does not ask what status and honours they have.

9. Ich hab hier wenig guter Tag,
mein täglich Brot ist Müh und Klag.Wann mein Gott will, so will ich mit hinfahrn in Fried;
Tod ist Gewinn und schadt mir nit.

Here I have had only few good days,
my daily bread is trouble and lamentation.
If my God so wills it, I will promise to go in peace;
Death will be my gain and will not harm me.

10. Und ob mich schon mein Sünd anficht,dennoch will ich verzagen nicht;ich weiß, daß mein getreuer Gottfür mich in’ Todsein’ liebsten Sohn gegeben hat.

And even if my sins already begin to worry me,
I will nevertheless not despair;
I know that my faithful God
For me in death
Has given his dearest Son .

11. Das ist mein Trost zu aller Zeit
in allem Kreuz und Traurigkeit.
Ich weiß, daß ich am Jüngsten Tagohn alle KlagWird auferstehn aus meinem Grab

This is my comfort at all times
in bearing my personal cross and sadness.
I know that, at the time of the Last Judgment
without any complaints
I will rise from the dead from my grave

12. Mein’ lieben Gott von Angesichtwerde ich anschaun, dran zweifl ich nicht,in ewger Freud und Seligkeit,die mir bereit’;ihm sei Lob, Preis in Ewigkeit

My dear Lord face to face
I do not doubt that I shall see,
in eternal joy and blessedness
that have been prepared for me;
Praise be to Him in eternity.

(Thomas Braatz supplied the text of this chorale and information about the melody.The translation is substantially based on his version, but any mistakes will be mine own.)

English Translation by Francis Browne (January 2005)
Contributed by Francis Browne (January 2005), Aryeh Oron (September 2018 - October 2018)