Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Vater unser im Himmelreich
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: EKG 241; EG 344
Author: Martin Luther (1538; published 1539)
Chorale Melody: Vater unser im Himmelreich (Zahn 2561) | Composer: Anon/Martin Luther (1539)
Theme:

Description:

"Vater unser im Himmelreich" (Our Father in Heaven) is a Lutheran hymn in German by Martin Luther. He wrote the paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer in 1538, corresponding to his explanation of the prayer in his Kleiner Katechismus (Small Catechism). He dedicated one stanza to each of the seven petitions and framed it with an opening and a closing stanza, each stanza in six lines. M. Luther revised the text several times, as extant manuscript show, concerned to clarify and improve it. He chose and possibly adapted an older anonymous melody, which was possibly associated with secular text, after he had first selected a different one. Other hymn versions of the Lord's Prayer from the 16th and 20th-century have adopted the same tune, known as "Vater unser" and "Old 112th".
The hymn was published in Leipzig in 1539 in Valentin Schumann's hymnal Gesangbuch, with a title explaining "The Lord's Prayer briefly expounded and turned into metre". It was likely first published as a broadsheet.
The hymn was translated into English in several versions, for example "Our Father, Thou in Heaven Above" by Catherine Winkworth in 1863 and "Our Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth" by Henry J. de Jong in 1982. In the current German hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch (EG) it is number 344.
Source: Wikipedia (February 1, 2018)

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Type

4 *

BWV 245

Mvt. 5

1724

47

317

-

137

D2:5

Chorale

*

BWV 416

-

?

47

316

47

137

F181.4a

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Vater unser im Himmelreich,
der du uns alle heißest gleich
Brüder sein und dich rusen an
und willst das Beten von uns han,
gieb, daß nicht bet allein der Mund,
hilf, daß es geh von Herzensgrund.

1. Our Father in the heaven Who art,
Who tellest all of us in heart
Brothers to be, and on Thee call,
And wilt have prayer from us all,
Grant that the mouth not only pray,
From deepest heart oh help its way.

2. Geheilget werd der Name dein,
dein Wort bei uns hilf halten rein,
daß auch wir leben heiliglich
nach deinem Namen würdiglich.
Behüt uns, Herr, vor falscher Lehr,
Das arm verführte Volk bekehr.

2. Hallowed be Thy name, O Lord;
Amongst us pure oh keep Thy word,
That we too may live holily.
And keep in Thy name worthily.
Defend us. Lord, from lying lore;
Thy poor misguided folk restore.

3. Es komm dein Reich zu dieser Zeit
und dort hernach in Ewigkeit:
der heilge Geist uns wohne bei
mit seinen Gaben mancherlei;
des Satans Zorn und groß Gewalt
zerbrich, für ihm dein Kirch erhalt.

3. Thy kingdom come now here below,
And after, up there, evermo.
The Holy Ghost His temple hold
In us with graces manifold.
The devil's wrath and greatness strong
Crush, that he do Thy Church no wrong.

4. Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich
auf Erden wie im Himmelreich;
gieb uns Geduld in Leidenszeit,
gehorsam sein in Lieb und Leid,
wehr und steu'r allem Fleisch und Blut,
das wider deinen Willen thut.

4. Thy will be done the same, Lord God,
On earth as in Thy high abode;
In pain give patience for relief,
Obedience in love and grief;
All flesh and blood keep off and check
That 'gainst Thy will makes a stiff neck.

5. Gieb uns heut unser täglich Brod
und was man braucht zur Leibesnoth;
b'hüt uns, Herr, für Unfried und Streit,
für Seuchen und für theurer Zeit,
daß wir im guten Frieden stehn,
der Sorg und Geizes müßig gehn.

5. Give us this day our daily bread,
And all that doth the body stead;
From strife and war, Lord, keep us free,
From sickness and from scarcity;
That we in happy peace may rest,
By care and greed all undistrest.

6. All unser Schuld vergieb uns, Herr,
daß sie uns nicht betrüben mehr,
wie wir auch unsern Schuldigern
ihr Schuld und Fehl vergeben gern;
Zu dienen mach uns all bereit
in rechter Lieb und Einigkeit.

6. Forgive, Lord, all our trespasses,
That they no more may us distress.
As of our debtors we gladly let
Pass all the trespasses and debt.
To serve make us all ready be
In honest love and unity.

7. Führ uns, Herr, in Versuchung nicht,
wenn uns der böse Geist anficht
zur linken und zur rechten Hand
hilf uns thun starken Widerstand,
im Glauben fest und wohlgerüst't
und durch des heilgen Geistes Trost.

7. Into temptation lead us not.
When the evil spirit makes battle hot
Upon the right and the left hand.
Help us with vigour to withstand,
Firm in the faith, armed 'gainst a host,
Through comfort of the Holy Ghost.

8. Von allem Uebel uns erlös,
es sind die Zeit und Tage bös;
erlös uns von dem ewgen Tod,
und tröst uns in der letzten Noth:
bescher uns, Herr! ein seligs End;
nimm unsre Seel in deine Händ.

8. From all that's evil free Thy sons —
The time, the days are wicked ones.
Deliver us from endless death;
Comfort us in our latest breath;
Grant us also a blessed end.
Our spirit take into Thy hand,

9. Amen, das ist, es werde wahr.
Stärk unsern Glauben immerdar,
auf daß wir ja nicht zweifeln dran,
was wir hiemit gebeten han,
auf dein Wort in dem Namen dein,
so sprechen wir das Amen sein.

9. Amen ! that is, let this come true!
Strengthen our faith ever anew,
That we may never be in doubt
Of that we here have prayed about.
In Thy name, trusting in Thy word.
We say a soft Amen, O Lord.

Source of German Text: Hymnary.org | Wikipedia
English Translation: George Macdonald (1876) | Source of English Translation: George Macdonald: Exotics: A Translation of the Spiritual Songs of Novalis, the Hymn-book of Luther, and Other Poems from the German and Italian (1876), on Wikipedia
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (November 2018)