Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Gott fähret auf gen Himmel
Text and Translation of Chorale

EKG:
Author: Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer (1697)
Chorale Melody: Von Gott will ich nicht lassen | Composer: Anon (1557)
Theme: Ascension

Description:

Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer's hymn for Ascension in seven stanzas, "Gott fähret auf gen Himmel" (God goes up to Heaven) was published in Geistliche, liebliche Lieder (Spiritual, lovely songs) in Gotha in 1714, sung to the melody "Von Gott will ich nicht lassen". Later versions appear under the title "Der Herr fährt auf gen Himmel", for example the Evangelisches Gesangbuch zum kirchlichen Gebrauche (Protestant hymnal for church usage) of 1836, sometimes with six stanzas. J.S. Bach used the hymn's 7 stanza, "Wenn soll es doch geschehen", to conclude his Ascension Oratorio (BWV 11). Among J.S. Bach's hymn writers, G.W. Sacer was the only contemporary.

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorus (Chorale) Wann soll es doch geschehen? (Mvt. 9) from Cantata BWV 11 (verse 7)
Ref: D11:9

The melody of the concluding movement is known as “Von Gott will ich nicht lassen,” from its association with Ludwig Helmbold’s Hymn, or “Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen,” from its association with Paul Eber’s Hymn. Its source is the tune of a secular song, “Ich ging einmal spazieren,” which was extant in 1569. As a Hymn tune the melody was first published by Joachim Magdeburg in his Christliche und Trostliche Tischgesange (Erfurt, 1572 [1571]) and by Wolfgang Figulus (two melodies) in his Weynacht Liedlein (Frankfort a. Oder, 1575 [1569]).
J.S. Bach uses the melody “Von Gott” with variations which have earlier sanction. It appears in Cantatas BWV 73, BWV 107. It also occurs in Cantata D 4, “Lobt ihn mit Herz und Munde,” (BWV 220) attributed to J.S. Bach, and there are harmonisations of the tune in the Choralgesange, Nos. 324, 325, 326 (BWV 417; BWV 418; BWV 419). Organ Works, N. xvii. 43 (BWV 658).
W. Figulus’ second melody (supra) belongs exclusively to P. Eber’s Hymn. It appears to originate as a Tenor melody of the first melody, to which its own Tenor bears a clear relation. In spite of its derivation, its individuality permits the tune to be regarded as a separate melody. It occurs in Cantatas 16, 28, 183. Organ Works, N. xv. 39.
The words of the Choral are the 7th stanza of Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer’s Ascension Hymn, “Gott fahret auf gen Himmel,” published in his Geistliche, liebliche Lieder (Gotha, 1714), to the melody, “Von Gott will ich nicht lassen”:
English translations of the Hymn are noted in the Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 984.
Form. Choral Fantasia (3 Trombe, Timpani, 2 Fl., 2 Ob., Strings, Continuo).
Charles Stanford Terry: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts [1917], pp 160-161

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Gott fähret auf gen Himmel
Mit frohem Jubelschall,
Mit prächtigem Getümmel
Und mit Posaunenhall.
Lobsingt, lobsinget Gott!
Lobsingt, lobsingt mit Freuden
Dem Könige der Heiden,
Dem Herren Zebaoth!

1. Lo, God to heav’n ascendeth!
Throughout its regions vast
With shouts triumphant blendeth
The trumpet’s thrilling blast:
Sing praise to Christ the Lord;
Sing praise with exultation,
King of each heathen nation,
The God of hosts adored!

2. Der Herr wird aufgenommen,
Der ganze Himmel lacht;
Um ihn gehn alle Frommen,
Die er hat freigemacht.
Es holen Jesum ein
Die lautern Cherubinen,
Den hellen Seraphinen
Muß er willkommen sein.

2. With joy is heav’n resounding
Christ’s glad return to see;
Behold the saints surrounding
The Lord who set them free.
Bright myriads, thronging, come;
The cherub band rejoices,
And loud seraphic voices
All welcome Jesus home.

3. Wir wißen nun die Stiege,
Die unser Haupt erhöht;
Wir wißen zur Genüge,
Wie man zum Himmel geht.
Der Heiland geht voran,
Will uns nicht nach sich laßen,
Er zeiget uns die Straßen,
Er bricht uns sichre Bahn.

3. From cross to throne ascending,
We follow Christ on high
And know the pathway wending
To mansions in the sky.
Our Lord is gone before;
Yet here He will not leave us,
But soon in heav’n receive us
And open wide the door.

4. Wir sollen himmlisch werden,
Der Herre macht uns Platz.
Wir gehen von der Erden
Dorthin, wo unser Schatz.
Ihr Herzen, macht euch auf!
Wo Jesus hingegangen,
Dahin sei das Verlangen,
Dahin sei euer Lauf!

4. Our place He is preparing;
To heav’n we, too, shall rise,
With Him His glory sharing,
Be where our Treasure lies.
Bestir thyself, my soul!
Where Jesus Christ has entered,
There let thy hope be centered;
|Press onward toward the goal.

5. Laßt uns gen Himmel springen
Mit herzlicher Begier,
Laßt uns zugleich auch singen:
Dich, Jesu, suchen wir,
Dich, o du Gottessohn,
Dich Weg, dich wahres Leben,
Dem alle Macht gegeben,
Dich, unsers Hauptes Kron'!

5. Let all our thoughts be winging
To where Thou didst ascend,
And let our hearts be singing:
“We seek Thee, Christ, our Friend,
Thee, God’s exalted Son,
Our Life, and Way to heaven,
To whom all pow’r is given,
Our Joy and Hope and Crown.”

6. Ade mit deinen Schätzen,
Du Truges volle Welt.
Dein Kot kann nicht ergetzen;
Weißt du, was uns gefällt?
Der Herr ist unser Preis,
Der Herr ist unsre Freude
Und köstliches Geschmeide,
Zu ihm gilt unsre Reis.

6. Farewell with all thy treasures,
O world, to falsehood giv’n!
Thy dross gives no true pleasures;
We seek the joys of heav’n.
The Savior is our Prize;
He comforts us in sadness
And fills our heart with gladness;
To Him we lift our eyes.

7. Wann soll es doch geschehen?
Wann kommt die liebe Zeit,
Daß wir ihn werden sehen
In seiner Herrlichkeit?
Du Tag, wann wirst du sein,
Daß wir den Heiland grüßen,
Daß wir den Heiland küssen?
Komm, stelle dich doch ein.

7. When, on our vision dawning,
Will break the wished-for hour
Of that all-glorious morning
When Christ shall come with pow’r?
O come, thou welcome day!
When we, our Savior meeting,
His second advent greeting,
Shall hail the heav’n-sent ray.

English Translation: Frances E. Cox | Source of English Translation: verses 1[5, The Lutheran Hymnal(1941), No. 214; verses 6-7, Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (1927), No. 233 on The Free Lutheran Choral-Book
Contributed by Francis Browne (February 2010, June 2015), Aryeh Oron (October 2018)