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Cantata BWV 132
Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 132 - Prepare the ways

Event: Solo Cantata for the 4th Sunday in Advent
Readings:
Epistle: Philippians 4: 4-7; Gospel: John 1: 19-28
Text:
Salomo Franck (Mvts. 1-5); Elisabeth Kreuziger (Mvt. 6)
Chorale Text:
Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria S

1

Aria [Soprano]

 

Oboe (Fagotto), Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
Bereitet die Wege
Und machet die Stege
Im Glauben und Leben
Dem Höchsten ganz eben,
Messias kömmt an!

 

Prepare the ways, prepare the path!
Prepare the ways

and make the footpaths
in faith and in life
smooth before the Highest.
The Messiah is coming!

       

2

Recitativo T

2

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

Willst du dich Gottes Kind und Christi Bruder nennen,
So müssen Herz und Mund den Heiland frei bekennen.
Ja, Mensch, dein ganzes Leben
Muß von dem Glauben Zeugnis geben!
Soll Christi Wort und Lehre
Auch durch dein Blut versiegelt sein,
So gib dich willig drein!
Denn dieses ist der Christen Kron und Ehre.
Indes, mein Herz, bereite
Noch heute
Dem Herrn die Glaubensbahn
Und räume weg die Hügel und die Höhen,
Die ihm entgegen stehen!
Wälz ab die schweren Sündensteine,
Nimm deinen Heiland an,
Dass er mit dir im Glauben sich vereine!

 

If you want to be called God's child and Christ's brother,
then your heart and your mouth must freely acknowledge the saviour.
Indeed, Man, your whole life

must bear witness to your faith!
If Christ's words and teaching

have to be sealed with your blood,
give yourself up to this willingly!
For this is the Crown and honour of the Christian.
Meanwhile my heart prepare

this very day
the path of faith for the Lord
and clear out of the way the hills and the heights
which stand in his way!
Roll away the heavy stones of sin

accept your saviour
so that he may unite himself with you faith!

       

3

Aria B

3

Aria [Bass]

 

Violoncello, Continuo

   
 

Wer bist du? Frage dein Gewissen,
Da wirst du sonder Heuchelei,
Ob du, o Mensch, falsch oder treu,
Dein rechtes Urteil hören müssen.
Wer bist du? Frage das Gesetze,
Das wird dir sagen, wer du bist,
Ein Kind des Zorns in Satans Netze,
Ein falsch und heuchlerischer Christ.

 

Who are you? Ask your conscience,
then without hypocrisy

whether you,O Man, are false or true
you must hear the right judgement about yourself.
Who are you? Ask the law,
that will tell you who you are,
a child of wrath in Satan's snares,
A falseand hypocritical Christian.

       

4

Recitativo A

4

Recitative [Alto]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Ich will, mein Gott, dir frei heraus bekennen,
Ich habe dich bisher nicht recht bekannt.
Ob Mund und Lippen gleich dich Herrn und Vater nennen,
Hat sich mein Herz doch von dir abgewandt.
Ich habe dich verleugnet mit dem Leben!
Wie kannst du mir ein gutes Zeugnis geben?
Als, Jesu, mich dein Geist und Wasserbad
Gereiniget von meiner Missetat,
Hab ich dir zwar stets feste Treu versprochen;
Ach! aber ach! der Taufbund ist gebrochen.
Die Untreu reuet mich!
Ach Gott, erbarme dich,
Ach hilf, dass ich mit unverwandter Treue
Den Gnadenbund im Glauben stets erneue!

 

I shall freely and openly acknowledge to you, my God,
that up to now I have not rightly acknowledged you.
Though my mouth and lips call you Lord and Father,
yet my heart has been turned away from you.
I have denied you with my life!
How can
you give good testimony about me?
When, Jesus your spirit and the water of baptism

purified me from my misdeeds
I did indeed promise steadfast faithfulness to you;
Ah ! Alas! The covenant of baptism is broken.
I repent my unfaithfulness!
Ah, God, have mercy on me

Ah, help me, so that with immutable faithfulness
I may constantly renew the covenant of grace by my faith!

       

5

Aria A

5

Aria [Alto]

 

Violino solo, Continuo

   
 

Christi Glieder, ach bedenket,
Was der Heiland euch geschenket
Durch der Taufe reines Bad!
Bei der Blut- und Wasserquelle
Werden eure Kleider helle,
Die befleckt von Missetat.
Christus gab zum neuen Kleide
Roten Purpur, weiße Seide,
Diese sind der Christen Staat.

 

Members of Christ, ah, consider
what the saviour has bestowed on you
Through thr pure bath of baptism!
From this fountain of blood and water

your garments become bright
that were stained by your sins.
Christ gave you new clothes

scarlet purple, white silk.
These are the finery of a Christian.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Instrumentierung nicht überliefert

   
 

Ertöt uns durch deine Güte;
Erweck uns durch deine Gnad;
Den alten Menschen kränke,
Dass der neu' leben mag
Wohl hie auf dieser Erden,
Den Sinn und Begehrden
Und G'danken habn zu dir.

 

Kill us through your kindness;
awaken us through your grace;
weaken the old man

so that the new man may live
even here on this earth
with his mind and his desires
and thoughts all on you.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (August 2008)

Contributed by Francis Browne (August 2008)

Cantata BWV 132: Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn! for 4th Sunday in Advent (1715)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

BWV 132 Text: German-1 | German-2 | 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-4 | French-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Kobayashi | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn [BWV 132/6]

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