Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: NLGB 423ff; EG 178.04; ELG 21
Author: Anon (Naumburg, 1537/1538), a German translation of the Latin Kyrie summum bonum: Kyrie fons bonitatis
Chorale Melody: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit (Zahn 8600c) | Composer: Anon (Naumburg, 1537/1538), after Kyrie fons bonitatis (c950)
Theme:
Comments: According to Hymnary.org & Christliche Liederdatenbank the author/translator is Johann Spangenberg (1541).

Description: The Litany is a recast of the “Kyrie summum bonum: Kyrie fons bonitatis,” printed, apparently at Wittenberg, in 1541. The melody is a literal adaptation of the Latin plainsong. It is printed supra from the Teutsch Kirchenamt (Erfurt, 1525), where it is set to other words. Bach’s melodic text, in Choralgesange, No. 225 (BWV 371), and the Organ movements infra, is invariable and follows the original (1525), to which Witt (No. 187) also conforms.
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works (Cambridge University Press, 1921. pp 227-228

The Kyrie is the well-known German trope, “Kyrie Gott Vater in Ewigkeit,” an anonymous contrafactum of the Latin trope, Fons bonitatis, first published in 1537 (NLGB: 423f, http://www.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/12/06/19/16-18-03_0.pdf, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Q825shqIo). Kyrie Gott Vater in ewigkeit” (Kyrie, God Father in heaven above) anonymous texts are http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/Lieder/kyriegot.html, http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/hymn/kyriegod.htm. The anonymous text was published as Kyrie summum, deutsch in the Naumberger Gesangbuch of 1537 and the anonymous melody, in three continuous, unequal, trinitarian non-strophic stanzas, is from the Teutsch Kirchenamt (Erfurt, 1525). Each stanza address a member of the Trinity, God there Father as maker and Preserver, Jesus Christ the Son as Mediator, and the Holy Spirit as guardian of the faith. The incipit (found in Leaver: 198) is identical to that of the German Agnus Dei, “Christe, du Lamb Gottes).
The text of the German Kyrie is: “Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, / Groß ist dein' Barmherzigkeit, / Aller Ding' ein Schöpfer und Regierer. / Eleison, Eleison! 2. Christe, aller Welt Trost / Uns Sünder allein du hast erlöst. / O Jesu, Gottes Sohn, / Unser Mittler bist in dem höchsten Thron; / Zu dir schreien wir aus Herzensbegier: / Eleison, eleison! 3. Kyrie, Gott Heiliger Geist, / Tröst, stärk uns im Glauben allermeist, / Daß wir am letzten End’ / Fröhlich abscheiden aus diesem Elend. / Eleison, Eleison! Amen.” The English translation is: “O Lord the Father for evermore! / We Thy wondrous grace adore; We confess Thy power, all worlds upholding. / Have mercy, Lord. 2. O Christ, our Hope alone, / Who with Thy blood didst for us atone; / O Jesu! Son of God! / Our Redeemer! our Advocate on high! / Lord, to Thee alone in our need we cry, Have mercy, Lord. 3. Holy Lord, God the Holy Ghost! Who of life and light the fountain art, / With faith sustain our heart, /That at the last we hence in peace depart. / Have mercy, Lord.”
Source: Luther's Deutsche Messe (William Hoffman (July 21, 2017)

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:
Chorale Kyrie! Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, BWV 371
Ref: Ri 132; Br 132; Birnstiel 134; AmB 46II p.83 & p.112; Penzel 104; BC F129

Latin Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Kyrie Fons bonitatis,
Pater ingenite,
a quo bona cuncta procedunt.
Eleison.

2. Christe! unice Dei patris genite!
quem de virgine nasciturum mundo
mirifice sancti praedixerunt Prophetae.
Eleison.

3. Kyrie, ignis divene,
pectore nostra accende,
ut digni pariter te laudare possimus semper.
Eleison.

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit,
Groß ist dein Barmherzigkeit,
Aller Ding ein Schöpfer und Regierer;
Eleison.

1. O Lord the Father for evermore!
We Thy wondrous grace adore;
We confess Thy power, all worlds upholding.
Have mercy, Lord.

Christe, aller Welt Trost,
Uns Sünder allein hast erlöst.
O Jesu, Gottes Sohn,
Unser Mittler bist in dem höchsten Thron,
Zu dir schreien wir aus Herzensbegier:
Eleison.

2. O Christ, our Hope alone,
Who with Thy blood didst for us atone;
O Jesu! Son of God!
Our Redeemer! our Advocate on high!
Lord, to Thee alone in our need we cry,
Have mercy, Lord.

Kyrie, Gott Heiliger Geist,
Tröst, stärk uns im Glauben allermeist,
Dass wir am letzten End
Fröhlich abscheiden aus diesem Elend;
Eleison.

3. Holy Lord, God the Holy Ghost!
Who of life and light the fountain art,
With faith sustain our heart,
That at the last we hence in peace depart.
Have mercy, Lord.

Source of German Text: Bach Digital | Die Christliche Liederdatenbank | Monarchieliga | Christliche Liederdatenbank
English translation: Arthur T. Russell1 | Source of English Text: Charles Sanford Terry: Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works (Cambridge University Press, 1921. pp 227-228
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2018)