Cantata BWV 100 - English Translation [interlinear format]

Cantata BWV 100 Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [III] English Translation in Interlinear Format Cantata BWV 100 - What God does, that is done well
Event: Chorale Cantata for the 15^th Sunday after Trinity Readings: Epistle: Galatians 5: 25 - 6: 10; Gospel: Matthew 6: 23-34 Text: Samuel Rodigast Chorale Text: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple
1	Chorus [S, A, T, B]
	Corno I/II, Timpani, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
	Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, What God does, that is done well, Es bleibt gerecht sein Wille; His will remains just. Wie er fängt meine Sachen an, However he deals with my affairs, Will ich ihm halten stille. I want calmly to place my whole trust in him. Er ist mein Gott, He is my God Der in der Not who in my troubles Mich wohl weiß zu erhalten; knows well how to support me; Drum laß ich ihn nur walten. therefore I let him alone rule over me.

2	Aria (Duetto) [Alto, Tenor]
	Continuo
	Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, What God does, that is done well, Er wird mich nicht betrügen; he will not deceive me; Er führet mich auf rechter Bahn, he leads me along the right way, So lass ich mich begnügen so I live content An seiner Huld with his favour Und hab Geduld, and have patience Er wird mein Unglück wenden, he will turn aside my misfortune, Es steht in seinen Händen. for he has the power to do so.

3	Aria [Soprano]
	Flauto traverso solo, Continuo
	Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, What God does, that is well done, Er wird mich wohl bedenken; he will take good care of me; Er, als mein Arzt und Wundermann, he, as my physician and miracle-worker, Wird mir nicht Gift einschenken will not give me poison Vor Arzenei. instead of medicine. Gott ist getreu, God is faithful, Drum will ich auf ihn bauen therefore I want to rely on him Und seiner Gnade trauen. and trust his grace.

4	Aria [Bass]
	Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
	Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, What God does, that is done well, Er ist mein Licht, mein Leben, he is my light, my life, Der mir nichts Böses gönnen kann, who can have no ill will towards me, Ich will mich ihm ergeben I want to entrust myself to him In Freud und Leid! in joy and sorrow! Es kommt die Zeit, The time will come Da öffentlich erscheinet, when it will be clearly apparent Wie treulich er es meinet. how faithful his intention is.

5	Aria [Alto]
	Oboe d'amore, Violoncello, Violone, Continuo
	Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, What God does, that is done well. Muß ich den Kelch gleich schmecken, If I have to taste the chalice Der bitter ist nach meinem Wahn, that I foolishly imagine is bitter, Laß ich mich doch nicht schrecken, I shall not let myself be frightened, Weil doch zuletzt since in the end Ich werd ergötzt I shall feel delight Mit süßem Trost im Herzen; and sweet consolation in my heart; Da weichen alle Schmerzen. then all sorrows will vanish.

6	Chorale [S, A, T, B]
	Corno I/II, Timpani, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
	Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, What God does, that is done well: Dabei will ich verbleiben. with this belief I want to stay firmly in agreement. Es mag mich auf die rauhe Bahn I may be driven on the rough road Not, Tod und Elend treiben, by distress, death and misery, So wird Gott mich but then God will Ganz väterlich just like a father In seinen Armen halten; hold me in his arms; Drum laß ich ihn nur walten. therefore I let him alone rule over me.

Note on the text
Bach wrote three cantatas (BWV 98, BWV 99, BWV 100) with the title Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan. All are linked, in varying degrees, to the hymn beginning with the same words by the 17^th-century writer Samuel Rodigast. BWV 100 is the last of them, and the one most closely related to Rodigast's text. It belongs to a small group of cantatas (the others being BWV 97, BWV 117, and BWV 192) written during the late 1720s and early 1730s in which the hymn text is retained throughout, unaltered per omnes versus. Sometimes, as in BWV 97 and BWV 117, Bach adheres to the alternating pattern of recitative and aria within a choral framework. In the present work, however, recitative is entirely dispensed with in favour of arias and chorale movements. (information from The Oxford Composer Companion: J.S.Bach)
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English Translation by Francis Browne (August 2003) Contributed by Francis Browne (August 2003)
Cantata BWV 100: Complete Recordings \| Recordings of Individual Movements \| Discussions: Part 1 \| Part 2 German Text \| Translations: Dutch \| English-1 \| English-3 \| English-6 \| English-10 \| French-1 \| French-3 \| French-4 \| French-6 \| Hebrew-1 \| Indonesian \| Italian-2 \| Russian-1 \| Spanish-5 Chorale Text: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
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Last update: ýSeptember 21, 2008 ý20:32:09