Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: NLGB 73; KGUG 20
Author: verse 1: Friedrich Spee (Würzburg, 1628); verses 2-8: Johann Rist (1641)
Chorale Melody: O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid! (Zahn 1915) | Composer: Anon (Mainz/Würzburg, 1628)
Theme: Good Friday; Lent

Description:

The hymn "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid" (O darkest woe, o heart's pain), by Johann Rist, written for special use on Good Friday, is described as a “Klägliches Grab-Lied uber die trawrige Begräbnisse unseres Heylandes Jesu Christi.” This eight 5-line stanzas chorale is found in the NLGB as Passion hymn No. 73 (https://books.google.com/books?id=UmVkAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA156#v=onepage&q&f=false, and in the Schmelli Gesangbuch as No. 314, Good Friday. In Witt the hymn is set to its own melody, published, with the hymn, in 1641. The first stanza author is Friedrich von Spee to the associated melody (Mainz/Würzburg Gesangbuch 1628, Zahn 1915), Stanzas 2-6 by Johann Rist.

The last, eighth verse, "O Jesu du, mein Hilf und Ruh (O Jesus thou, my heart and rest) is the closing chorale in the St. Mark Passion (BWV 247) (No. 44), probably in the plain chorale setting, BWV 404 (http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0404.htm). A fragment of the Orgelbüchlein setting (Ob. 29, Passion), BWV Anh. 200, is extant (completed, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcePnlcVZrg).
Another plain chorale setting, possibly by J.S. Bach, BWV deest, closes the "Keiser St. Mark Passion/Pasticcio (http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV_deest_O_Traurigkeit.htm, https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalSource_source_00018426).
The hymn closes the Carl Heinrich Graun 1730 Passion Oratorio, "Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld" (A Lambkin goes and bears the guilt), as well as the final stanza in the Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel first Gotha Passion Oratorio 1720, "Die leidende und am Kreuz sterbende Liebe," which J.S. Bach performed on April 23, 1734 in the Thomas Church. This G.H. Stölzel setting also has the aria "Bekennen will ich seinen Namen," BWV 200, originally attributed to J.S. Bach, but is a parody of the aria "Dein Kreuz, o Bräutgam meiner Seelen" (https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalSource_source_00000756).
Source: Good Friday Chorales (William Hoffman, March 31, 2018)

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorale O! Jesu Du Mein Hilf und Ruh! (Mvt. 44) from Markus-Passion BWV 247 (1731) [music lost] (verse 8)

Chorale O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid!, BWV 404
Ref: RE 57; Br 60; KE 288; Birnstiel 74; AmB 46II p.147 (M3 lower, f minor); Levy–Mendelssohn 17; Fasch p.20; BGA ; BC F165.1; CST 299

Chorale O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid, BWV deest, from Friedrich Nicolaus Brauns's Markus-Passion [previously attributed to Reinhard Keiser]

J.S. Bach's first version, BC 5a, originated in the early 1710s in Weimar. Whether he changed anything to the original is uncertain, but the arrangement of the "O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn" and "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid" chorales is usually attributed to him. Possibly he also composed the first "sinfonia" (No. 10), which is only found in J.S. Bach's versions.
J.S. Bach staged the passion in a new version, BC 5b, in 1726 in Leipzig. The order of service in Leipzig requested passions in two parts: apparently for this reason J.S. Bach added the chorale "So gehst du nun, mein Jesu", BWV 500a, as a conclusion for the first part. In this version he also slightly modified the "O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn" and "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid" chorale settings.

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1 O Traurigkeit,
O Herzeleid!
Ist das nicht zu beklagen?
Gott des Vaters einigs Kind
Wird ins Grab getragen.

1. O darkest woe!
Ye tears forth flow!
Has earth so sad a wonder,
That the Father's only Son
Now lies buried yonder!

2 . O große Not!
Gotts Sohn liegt tot.
Am Kreuz ist er gestorben;
Hat dadurch das Himmelreich
Uns aus Lieb erworben.

2. O son of man!
It was the ban
Of death on thee that brought Him
Down to suffer for thy sins,
And such woe hath wrought Him.

3. O Menschenkind,
Nur deine Sünd
Hat dieses angerichtet,
Da du durch die Missetat
Warest ganz vernichtet.

4. Dein Bräutigam,
das Gotteslamm,
liegt hier mit Blut beflossen,
welches er ganz mildiglich
hat für dich vergossen.

4. Behold thy Lord,
The Lamb of God,
Blood-sprinkled lies before thee,
Pouring out His life that He
May to life restore thee.

5. O süßer Mund,
O Glaubensgrund,
Wie bist du doch zerschlagen!
Alles, was auf Erden lebt,
Muss dich ja beklagen.

5. O Ground of faith,
Laid low in death,
Sweet lips, now silent sleeping!
Surely all that live must mourn
Here with bitter weeping.

6. O lieblich Bild,
schön, zart und mild.
du Söhnlein der Jungfrauen,
niemand kann dein heißes Blut
sonder Reu' anschauen!

6. O Ground of faith
Laid low in death!
Sweet lips now silent sleeping!
Surely all that live must mourn
Here with bitter weeping.

7. O selig ist
Zu aller Frist,
Der dieses recht bedenket,
Wie der Herr der Herrlichkeit
Wird ins Grab versenket.

7. Yea, blest is he
Whose heart shall be
Fix'd here, and apprehendeth
Why the Lord of glory thus
To the grave descendeth.

8. O Jesu, du
Mein Hilf und Ruh,
Ich bitte dich mit Tränen:
hilf, dass ich mich bis ins Grab
Nach dir möge sehnen.

8. O Jesu blest!
My help and rest!
With tears I pray--Lord, hear me;
Make me love Thee to the last,
In the grave be near me!

Source of German Text: Bach Digital (6 verse) | Hymnary.org (8 verses) | Die Christliche Liederdatenbank (5 verses)
English Translation: Catherine Winkworth (1863) | Source of English Translation: Catherine Winkworth: Chorale Book for England (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts and Green, 1865), No. 54, on Hymn Time | Hymnary.org
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2018)