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Cantata BWV 115
Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit
English Translation in Interlinear Format
Cantata BWV 115 - Make yourself ready, my spirit

Event: Chorale Cantata for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity
Readings:
Epistle: Philippians 1: 3-11; Gospel: Matthew 18: 23-35
Text:
Johann Burchard Freystein (Mvts. 1, 6); Anon (Mvts. 2-5)
Chorale Text:
Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

Corno, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II e Viola all' unisono, Continuo

Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit,
Make yourself ready, my spirit,
Wache, fleh und bete,
watch, and entreat and pray
Dass dich nicht die böse Zeit
so that the evil time
Unverhofft betrete;
may not come upon you unawares;
Denn es ist
for it is
Satans List
the cunning of Satan
Über viele Frommen
to lead many of the righteous
Zur Versuchung kommen.
into temptation.

2

Aria [Alto]

Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Ach schläfrige Seele, wie? ruhest du noch?
Ah, slumbering soul, what? Do you still take your rest?
Ermuntre dich doch!
Bestir yourself now!
Es möchte die Strafe dich plötzlich erwecken
Punishment may suddenly awaken you
Und, wo du nicht wachest,
and if you're not awake
Im Schlafe des ewigen Todes bedecken.
cover you in the sleep of everlasting death.

3

Recitative [Bass]

Continuo

Gott, so vor deine Seele wacht,
God who watches over your soul
Hat Abscheu an der Sünden Nacht;
has a horror of the night of sin;
Er sendet dir sein Gnadenlicht
he sends you the light of his grace
Und will vor diese Gaben,
and for these gifts
Die er so reichlich dir verspricht,
which he promises to you so abundantly
Nur offne Geistesaugen haben.
He only wants you to have the eyes of your spirit open.
Des Satans List ist ohne Grund,
Satan's cunning is unfathomable
Die Sünder zu bestricken;
to catch sinners in his net;
Brichst du nun selbst den Gnadenbund,
if you now break the covenant of grace,
Wirst du die Hilfe nie erblicken.
you will never obtain help.
Die ganze Welt und ihre Glieder
the whole world and every part of it
Sind nichts als falsche Brüder;
are nothing but false brothers
Doch macht dein Fleisch und Blut for
and yet your flesh and blood see in them
Sich lauter Schmeichelei.
pure flattery.

4

Aria [Soprano]

Flauto traverso, Violoncello piccolo, Continuo

Bete aber auch dabei
But you should also pray
Mitten in dem Wachen!
while you are awake!
Bitte bei der großen Schuld
For your great guilt beg
Deinen Richter um Geduld,
for patience from your judge,
Soll er dich von Sünden frei
so that he may make you free from sin
Und gereinigt machen!
and purified!

5

Recitative [Tenor]

Continuo

Er sehnet sich nach unserm Schreien,
He longs for us to call out to him,
Er neigt sein gnädig Ohr hierauf;
he turns his gracious ear to our cry;
Wenn Feinde sich auf unsern Schaden freuen,
if our enemies delight in our misfortune,
So siegen wir in seiner Kraft:
we shall conquer through his power:
Indem sein Sohn, in dem wir beten,
since his son, in whom we pray,
Uns Mut und Kräfte schafft
creates courage and strength in us
Und will als Helfer zu uns treten.
and will come to us as our helper.

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

Corno e Flauto traverso e Oboe d'amore e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

Drum so lasst uns immerdar
Therefore let us always
Wachen, flehen, beten,
be awake, entreat and pray,
Weil die Angst, Not und Gefahr
since anguish, distress and danger
Immer näher treten;
approach ever nearer;
Denn die Zeit
for the time
Ist nicht weit,
is not far
Da uns Gott wird richten
when God will judge us
Und die Welt vernichten.
And destroy the world.

--

This Translation in Parallel Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (August 2008)
Contributed by Francis Browne (August 2008)

Cantata BWV 115: Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit for 22nd Sunday after Trinity (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

BWV 115 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-6 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit [BWV 115/1,~2-5,6]

English Translations in Interlinear/Parallel Format (English-3): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted by Event | Note on English Translations


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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Last update: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:22