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Kommt her zu mir, spricht Gottes Sohn
Text and Translation of Chorale

EKG: 245
Author: Georg Grünwald (1530)
Chorale Melody: Kommt her zu mir, spricht Gottes Sohn | Composer: Anon (c1490)

 

Vocal Works:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Type

 

16

BWV 86

Mvt. 3

1724

-

-

-

-

A73:3

Chorale [S]

 
 
 

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1

»Kommt her zu mir«, spricht Gottes Sohn,
»all die ihr seid beschweret nun,
mit Sünden hart beladen,
ihr Jungen, Alten, Frau und Mann,
ich will euch geben, was ich han,
will heilen euren Schaden.

“Come to me”, says God’s Son,
“all you who are burdened,
heavily laden with sins,
people young and old, men and women,
what I want to give you
will cure your troubles.

2

Mein Joch ist sanft, leicht meine Last,
und jeder, der sie willig faßt,
der wird der Höll entrinnen.
Ich helf ihm tragen, was zu schwer;
mit meiner Hilf und Kraft wird er
das Himmelreich gewinnen.

My yoke is easy, my burden light,
and everyone who willingly takes it up
will escape from hell.
I help each person to carry what is difficult;
with my health and strength he will
win the kingdom of heaven.

3

Heut ist der Mensch schön, jung und rank,
sieh, morgen ist er schwach und krank,
bald muß er auch gar sterben;
gleichwie die Blumen auf dem Feld
also wird diese schöne Welt
in einem Nu verderben.

Today someone is handsome, young and active,
look, tomorrow he is weak and ill,
soon he even has to die;
just as the flowers in the field
so also will this beautiful world
perish in an instant.

4

Dem Reichen hilft doch nicht sein Gut,
dem Jungen nicht sein stolzer Mut,
er muß aus diesem Maien;
wenn einer hätt die ganze Welt,
Silber und Gold und alles Geld,
doch muß er an den Reihen.

The rich man is not helped by his wealth,
nor the young man by his proud spirit,
he must go away in the springtime,
even if someone had the whole world,
silver and gold and all money,
he must still take his turn.

5

Dem G'lehrten hilft doch nicht sein Kunst,
die weltlich Pracht ist gar umsonst,
wir müssen alle sterben.
Wer sich in Christus nicht bereit',
solange währt die Gnadenzeit,
ewig muß er verderben.

The learned man is not helped by his expertise,
worldly splendour is useless,
we must all die.
Whoever does not prepare himself in Christ,
while the time of grace still lasts,
must perish eternally

6

Höret und merkt, ihr lieben Leut,
die ihr jetzt Gott ergeben seid:
laßt euch die Müh nicht reuen,
halt' fest am heilgen Gotteswort,
das ist eu'r Trost und höchster Hort,
Gott wird euch schon erfreuen.

Hear and take note, dear people,
what God has given to you:
do not let trouble disturb you
hold fast to God’s holy word,
that is your consolation and greatest treasure,
God will give you joy.

7

Und was der ewig gütig Gott
in seinem Wort versprochen hat,
geschworn bei seinem Namen,
das hält und gibt er g'wiß fürwahr.
Er helf uns zu der Heilgen Schar
durch Jesus Christus! Amen
.

And what the eternally good God
has promised in his word,
sworn by his name,
that he upholds and fulfils most surely.
May he help us to join the company of saints
through Jesus Christ! Amen.

--

   

English Translation by Francis Browne (April 2006)
Contributed by Francis Browne (April 2006)

Cantata BWV 86: Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Discussions
German Text | Translations: Chinese-1 | Dutch | English-1 | English-3 | English-6 | French-4 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian | Italian-5 | Russian-1 | Spanish-3


Chorales BWV 250-438: Details and Recordings
Individual Recordings: Hilliard - Morimur | Chorales - N. Matt | Chorales - H. Rilling | Preludi ai Corali - Quartetto Italiani di Viola Da Gamba
Discussions: Motets & Chorales for Events in the LCY / Chorales by Theme | General Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Chorales in Bach Cantatas: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Passion Chorale
References: Chorales BWV 250-300 | Chorales BWV 301-350 | Chorales BWV 351-400 | Chorales BWV 401-438 | 371 4-Part Chorales sorted by Breitkopf Number | Texts & Translations of Chorales BWV 250-438
Chorale Texts: Sorted by Title | Chorale Melodies: Sorted by Title | Explanation
MIDI files of the Chorales: Cantatas BWV 1-197 | Other Vocal Works BWV 225-248 | Chorales BWV 250-438
Articles: The Origin of the Texts of the Chorales [A. Schweitzer] | The Origin of the Melodies of the Chorales [A. Schweitzer] | The Chorale in the Church Service [A. Schweitzer] | Choral / Chorale [C.S. Terry] | Hidden Chorale Melody Allusions [T. Braatz] | The History of the Breitkopf Collection of J. S. Bach’s Four-Part Chorales [T. Braatz] | The World of the Bach Chorale Settings [W.L. Hoffman]
Hymnals: Hymnals used by Bach | Wagner Hymnal 1697 | Evangelisches Gesangbuch 1995 | Dietel Chorale List c1734
Abbreviations used for the Chorales | Links to other Sites about the Chorales

Texts & English Translations of Chorales: Sorted by Title

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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