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Cantata BWV 117
Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 117 - Praise and honour to the highest good

Event: Chorale Cantata for unspecified occasion
Text: Johann Jakob Schütz
Chorale Text: Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut,
Dem Vater aller Güte,
Dem Gott, der alle Wunder tut,
Dem Gott, der mein Gemüte
Mit seinem reichen Trost erfüllt,
Dem Gott, der allen Jammer stillt.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

Let there be praise and honour for the highest good,
for the father of all goodness,
for that God , who does all wonders,
for that God who fills my spirit
with his rich consolation,
for God, who eases all misery.
Give honour to our God!

       

2

Recitativo B

2

Recitativo [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Es danken dir die Himmelsheer,
O Herrscher aller Thronen,
Und die auf Erden, Luft und Meer
In deinem Schatten wohnen,
Die preisen deine Schöpfermacht,
Die alles also wohl bedacht.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

The heavenly host give thanks to you
O ruler of all thrones,
and those who on earth, air and sea

dwell in your shadow,
these praise your creative power
that has so well taken thought for everything.
Give honour to our God!

       

3

Aria T

3

Aria [Tenor]

 

Oboe d'amore I/II, Continuo

   
 

Was unser Gott geschaffen hat,
Das will er auch erhalten;
Darüber will er früh und spat
Mit seiner Gnade walten.
In seinem ganzen Königreich
Ist alles recht und alles gleich.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

What our God has created
he wants also to preserve;

over it early and late he wants
to rule with his grace.
In his whole kingdom
all is just and equal.
Give honour to our God!

       

4

Choral

4

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Instrumentierung nicht überliefert

   
 

Ich rief dem Herrn in meiner Not:
Ach Gott, vernimm mein Schreien!
Da half mein Helfer mir vom Tod
Und ließ mir Trost gedeihen.
Drum dank, ach Gott, drum dank ich dir;
Ach danket, danket Gott mit mir!
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

I called to the Lord in my distress:
Ah God, hear my crying out!
Then my helper helped me in the face of death
and allowed my comfort to flourish.
For this reason thanks, ah God, for this reason thanks I give to you
Ah, give thanks, give thanks to God with me!
Give honour to our God!

       

5

Recitativo A

5

Recitative [Alto]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Der Herr ist noch und nimmer nicht
Von seinem Volk geschieden,
Er bleibet ihre Zuversicht,
Ihr Segen, Heil und Frieden;
Mit Mutterhänden leitet er
Die Seinen stetig hin und her.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

The Lord is not and never has been
separated from his people.
He remains their confidence,
their blessing, salvation and peace;
with the hands of a mother he guides
his people continually here and there.
Give honour to our God!

       

6

Aria B

6

Aria [Bass]

 

Violino solo, Continuo

   
 

Wenn Trost und Hülf ermangeln muss,
Die alle Welt erzeiget,
So kommt, so hilft der Überfluss,
Der Schöpfer selbst, und neiget
Die Vateraugen denen zu,
Die sonsten nirgend finden Ruh.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

When comfort and help must fail us,
as all the world shows,
then he comes, then he who is abundance gives help,
the creator himself, and looks down

with a father's eyes on those
who nowhere else find inner peace.
Give honour to our God!

       

7

Aria A

7

Aria [Alto]

 

Flauto traverso I, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Ich will dich all mein Leben lang,
O Gott, von nun an ehren;
Man soll, o Gott, den Lobgesang
An allen Orten hören.
Mein ganzes Herz ermuntre sich,
Mein Geist und Leib erfreue sich.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

All my life long I want,
O God, from now on to honour you.
The song of your praise, O God,
should be heard everywhere.
Let my whole heart be stirred,
let my spirit and body rejoice.
Give honour to our God!

       

8

Recitativo T

8

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

Ihr, die ihr Christi Namen nennt,
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!
Ihr, die ihr Gottes Macht bekennt,
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!
Die falschen Götzen macht zu Spott,
Der Herr ist Gott, der Herr ist Gott:
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

You, who call on the name of Christ,
Give honour to our God!
You who recognise the might of your God,
Give honour to our God!
Hold up to ridicule the false idols,
the Lord is God, the Lord is God :
Give honour to our God!

       

9

Coro

9

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

So kommet vor sein Angesicht
Mit jauchzenvollem Springen;
Bezahlet die gelobte Pflicht
Und lasst uns fröhlich singen:
Gott hat es alles wohl bedacht
Und alles, alles recht gemacht.
Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!

 

Therefore come before his face
with dancing full of exultation;

Fulfil the duty you have sworn,
and let us joyfully sing:
God has considered everything well
and everything, everything, he has done rightly.
Give honour to our God!

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (June 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (June 2002)

Cantata BWV 117: Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut for the birthday of Christian von Weißenfels (1731)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 117 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 | Dutch-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-5 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut [BWV 117/1-9]

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