Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott
Text and Translation of Chorale

EKG: 119
Author: Martin Moller (1584)
Chorale Melody: Vater unser im Himmelreich | Composer: Anon/Martin Luther

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Type

7

BWV 90

Mvt. 5

1723

267

319

267

41

A163:5

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

1

BWV 101

Mvt. 1

1724

-

-

-

-

A118:1

Chorus (Chorale) [S, A, T, B]

2~

BWV 101

Mvt. 2

1724

-

-

-

-

A118:2

Aria [T]

3

BWV 101

Mvt. 3

1724

-

-

-

-

A118:3

Recitative & Chorale [S]

4~

BWV 101

Mvt. 4

1724

-

-

-

-

A118:4

Aria [B]

5

BWV 101

Mvt. 5

1724

-

-

-

-

A118:5

Recitative & Chorale [T]

6~

BWV 101

Mvt. 6

1724

-

-

-

-

A118:6

Aria (Duet) [S, A]

7

BWV 101

Mvt. 7

1724

-

318

192

73

A118:7

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1

Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott,
Die schwere Straf und große Not,
Die wir mit Sünden ohne Zahl
Verdienet haben allzumal.
Behüt vor Krieg und teurer Zeit
Vor Seuchen, Feur und großem Leid.

Take from us, you faithful God,
the heavy punishment and great distress,
which for our countless sins we
deserve to have all too often.
Protect us from war and costly times,
from plague, fire and great misfortune

2

Erbarm dich deiner bösen Knecht.
Wir bitten Gnad und nicht das Recht;
Denn so du, Herr, den rechten Lohn
Uns geben wolltst nach unserm Thun,
So müßt die ganze Welt vergehn
Und könnt kein Mensch vor dir bestehn.

Have mercy on your evil servants.
We ask for mercy and not for justice;
for if you,Lord, wanted to give
the just reward to us for our deeds,
then the whole world would have to perish
and no human being could stand before you.

3

Ach Herr Gott, durch die Treue dein
Mit Trost und Rettung uns erschein,
Beweis an uns dein große Gnad,
Und straf uns nicht auf frischer That,
Wohn uns mit deiner Güte bei,
Dein Zorn und Grimm fern von uns sei.

Ah Lord God,through your faithfulness
appear to us with consolation and deliverance,
show to us your great mercy,
and do not punish us for our recent actions,
with your kindness dwell with us,
may your fury and wrath be far from us .

4

Warum willt du doch zornig sein
Über uns arme Würmelein?
Weißt du doch wohl, du großer Gott,
Daß wir nichts sind als Erd und Kot;
Es ist ja vor deim Angesicht
Unser Schwachheit verborgen nicht.

Why will you be wrathful
against us poor little worms?
For you know well, great God,
that we are nothing but dust and dirt;
indeed before your face
our weakness is not hidden.

5

Die Sünd hat uns verderbet sehr,
Der Teufel plagt uns noch viel mehr,
Die Welt und unser Fleisch und Blut
Uns allezeit verführen thut.
Solchs Elend kennst du, Herr, allein,
Ach laß es dir befohlen sein.

Sin has corrupted us so much,
the Devil torments us more and more,
the world and our flesh and blood
continually lead us into temptation.
How miserable we are you alone know, Lord,
ah let our misery be entrusted to you

6

Gedenk an deins Sohns bittern Tod,
Sieh an sein heilig Wunden rot,
Die sind ja für die ganze Welt
Die Zahlung und das Lösegeld,
Des trösten wir uns allezeit
Und hoffen auf Barmherzigkeit.

Consider your son’s bitter death,
look upon his holy red wounds,
that are indeed for the whole world
the settlement and ransom,
from which we have consolation always
and hope in your compassion.

7

Leit uns mit deiner rechten Hand,
Und segne unser Stadt und Land,
Gieb uns allzeit dein heilges Wort,
Behüt vors Teufels List und Mord,
Verleih ein selges Stündelein,
Auf daß wir ewig bei dir sein.

Lead us with your right hand,
and bless our city and country;
give us at all times your holy word,
protect us from the devil's deceit and murder;
grant us a blessed final hour,
so that we may be with you for ever

--

According to W. Gilles Whittaker (The Cantatas of J.S. Bach, Volume II, P. 153), Moller's hymn is a free translation of the Latin poem 'Aufer immensam, Deus, aufer iram' given below:

Matthiae Berg II:
Ode Sapphica, irae divina deprecatrix.

Matthias Berg:
Sapphic Ode , a plea against God’s anger

Latin Text

English Translation

1

AUfer immensam, DEUS, aufer iram,
Et cruentatum cohibe flagellum.
Nec scelus nostrum properes ad aequam
Pendere lancem.

Take away,God, take away your boundless
anger and restrain your bloodstained scourge.
Do not hasten to weigh our crimes in
an even balance.

2

Si luant iustam mala nostra poenam,
Quis tuam possit tolerare dextram?
Nempe damnanda est semel universa
Nostra propago.

If our misfortunes were to atone for our guilt,
who could endure your right hand?
Surely the whole human race
at once deserves damnation.

3

Parce sed nostris miserate culpis,
Temperet iustam pietasque poenam.
Nam tibi semper proprium reversis
Parcere natis,

But be merciful and compassionate to our faults,
let affection moderate the punishment we deserve.
For it has always been your nature to be merciful to your children
who have turned back to you.

4

Ah, quid in vermes miseros tua ira
Saevit, immensi fabricator orbis?
Quid premis, qui sunt cinis, umbra, pulvis,
Glebaque terrae.

Ah why does your anger rage against such wretched worms
as us, maker of the boundless world?
Why do you crush us, who are ashes,
shadow, dusts and clods of earth.

5

Nos graves sane maculant reatus,
Et caro mentem trahit impotentem.
Iure damnatos potes ergo dirae
Tradere morti.

Heavy burdens of guilt stain us
and our powerless mind is dragged away by the flesh.
Therefore justly you can condemn us and hand us over
to dreadful death

6

At tamen Nati roseum cruorem,
Lanceam, clavos, rigidaeque spinae
Texta nos interque tuumque iustum
Pone tribunal.

But your son’s red blood, the spear,
the nails and the crown woven by hard thorns
- put these between us
and your judgement seat.

7

Ne sit in nobis opus hoc inane,
Quo salus cunctis populis parata est:
Fluxerit nobis quoque fusus ille
In cruce sanguis.

May the deed by which salvation
was prepared for all peoples not be ineffectual for us.
May the blood he shed on the cross
have been shed for us also.

8

Nostra tum sancto rege corda semper
Spiritu, per quem caro laeva menti
Contumax vitae meliore duci
Tramite discat.

Then always govern our hearts
with your Holy Spirit, by whom our flesh
- perverse in mind and stubbornly rebellious as it is -
may be led along a better path of life.

9

Qui DEUS toti dominaris orbi
Omnibus saeclis residens Olympo,
Hoc ratum nobis facias precamur
Trinus et Unus,

God, you who rule the whole word,
reigning throughout all ages in heaven,
we pray that you should do this for us,
you who are both three and one.

FINIS.

--

Sources:
German hymn: gesangbuch.org; Colmarisches Gesangbuch
Latin poem: SCIPIONIS GENTILIS et CUNRADI RITTERSHUSII CARMINA SACRA
English Translation by Francis Browne (November 2005)
Contributed by Francis Browne (November 2005)

Cantata BWV 90: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2
German Text | Translations: Dutch | English-1 | English-3 | English-6 | English-10 | French-4 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian | Italian-2 | Russian-1 | Spanish-5

Cantata BWV 101: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2
German Text | Translations: Dutch | English-1 | English-3 | English-6 | French-1 | French-4 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian | Italian-4 | Russian-1 | Spanish-3