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Cantata BWV 140
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme
English Translation [A Metrical Verse Translation & Roughly Literal Translation]
Cantata BWV 140 - "Hey, wake up!" the voice calls to us

A Metrical Verse Translation

1

Chorus

"Hey, wake up!" the voice calls to us.
The guard up on the walls cries to us,
"Wake up, dear town, Jerusalem!"
Now in night's dark midnight hour
The watcher shrilly calls with power,
"Where are you, clever young women?
Wake up, the Bridegroom's near.
Pick up your lamps and cheer,
Hallelujah!
Get ready now,
The wedding's on.
You must go out and meet the groom.

2

Recitative Tenor

He comes, he comes,
The bridegroom comes!
You Zion's daughters, now come out,
He's leaving right now from the Heavens
For your own mother house.
The bridegroom comes, who like a roe deer
and like a young stag ev'n
Up on the hills now springs,
To you the feast of wedding brings.
Wake up, arouse your hearts
The bridegroom to encounter!
There, see it, his vis't now comes to pass.

3

Aria (Duet) Soprano (Soul), Bass (Jesus)

Soul:
When come you, my Health?
Jesus:
I come, your All.
Soul:
I wait, with lit, burning oil.
Jesus:
Throw open the hall
Soul:
I open the hall
Both:
T'the heavenly meal
Soul:
Come, Jesu
Jesus:
Come, dear lovely soul!

4

Chorale Tenor

Zion hears the lookouts singing.
In every heart new joy is pounding.
All wake and hurry to get up.
Your Friend comes from heaven, glorious,
With Kindness, strong, with Truth victorious,
The day gets bright, God's Sun is up.
Now come, o worthy Crown,
Lord Jesus, God's own Son,
Good God save us!
You call us all
Into joy's hall
To celebrate the Holy Meal!

5

Recitative Bass

So come inside to me,
You, my own chosen bride!
I have myself with you
Eternally betrothed.
You will I on my heart,
And on my arm just like a seal be placing
And your unhappy eyes delighting.
Forget, o dear soul, now
The fear, the hurt,
That you had to put up with;
On my left hand now shall you rest,
And by my right shall be caressed.

6

Aria (Duet) Soprano (Soul), Bass (Jesus)

Soul:
My friend is mine,
Jesus:
And I am thine,
Both:
This great love shall naught sever.
Soul:
I will with You in Heaven's roses pasture.
Jesus:
You shall with me in Heaven's roses pasture,
Both:
There gladness is filled up, there ecstasy shines.

7

Chorale

Glory to You now by all be sung
With human and with angel tongues
With music, cymbals, harps, great noise.
Past Your City's huge pearl gateways,
No longer strangers, we share your praise
With Heaven's angels round Your throne.
No eye has yet discerned,
Nor human ear has learned
How great this joy.
So we are glad,
Hooray! not sad!
Forever in sweet joy we're clad.

Roughly Literal Translation

1

Chorus

Wake up, calls to us the voice
Of the lookouts high on the battlements,
Wake up, thou city, Jerusalem.
Midnight's what this hour is called;
They call us with high/bright voices:
Where are you, smart virgns/maidens?
Come on, the bridegroom comes;
Stand up, the lamps take!
Alleluja!
Make yourselves ready
For the wedding,
You must to go to meet him.

2

Recitative Tenor

He comes, he comes,
The bridegroom comes!
You daughters of Zion, come forth/out,
His departure is hurrying from the heights/high place
[In]to your Mother[‘s] house.
The Bridegroom comes, who like a roe deer
and like a young stag/roebuck
On the hills springs
And to you brings the meal/feast of the wedding.
Wake up, rouse yourelves
The Bridegroom to welcome!
There, see, his coming is come to pass.

3

Aria (Duet) Soprano (Soul), Bass (Jesus)

Soul:
When comest thou, my well-being/Salvation?
Jesus:
I come, thy portion.
Soul:
I wait with burning oil.
Jesus:
Throw open the hall
Soul:
I open the hall
Both:
To the heavenly meal
Soul:
Come Jesus!
Jesus:
Come lovely soul!

4

Chorale Tenor

Zion hears the lookouts singing
Her heart is jumping up for joy.
She wakes and quickly gets up.
Her Friend comes from Heaven splendid,
From Grace strong, from Truth mighty,
Her light grows bright her star comes up.
Now come, thou worthy Crown,
Lord Jesus, God's Son!
Hosanna! [God save us!]
We follow all
To the joyful hall/hall of joy
And celebrate the Lord's Supper.

5

Recitative Bass

So go [come] inside to me,
Thou chosen to be my bride!
I have myself with thee
From eternity betrothed
[‘Tis] thee I would set in my heart,
Set on my arm just like a seal,
And [‘tis thee] whose grieved eyes I would delight.
Forget, o Soul, now
The anxiety, the hurt,
That thou hadst to suffer through;
On my left [hand] shallst thou rest,
And my right shall thee kiss [caress?].

6

Aria (Duet) Soprano (Soul), Bass (Jesus)

Soul:
My friend is mine.
Jesus:
And I am thine,
Both:
The/this love shall nothing separate.
Soul:
I want with Thee in Heaven's roses to pasture/delight.
Jesus:
Thou shalt with me in Heavens roses delight/pasture/graze.
Both:
There joy to the full, there delight and ecstasy shall be.

7

Chorale

Glory be to Thee sung
With men's and with angels' tongues,
With harps and with cymbals for sure.
Of twelve pearls are the portals/gates,
Into Thy City; we are consorts/peers
Of the angels high around Thy throne.
No eye has yet discerned,
No ear has yet heard
Such joy,
For which we're glad,
Hurray, Hurray!
Forever in sweet jubilation.

German Text – Philipp Nicolai

1

Chorus

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme
Der Wächter sehr hoch auf der Zinne,
Wach auf, du Stadt Jerusalem!
Mitternacht heißt diese Stunde;
Sie rufen uns mit hellem Munde:
Wo seid ihr klugen Jungfrauen?
Wohl auf, der Bräutgam kömmt;
Steht auf, die Lampen nehmt!
Alleluja!
Macht euch bereit
Zu der Hochzeit,
Ihr müsset ihm entgegen gehn.

2

Recitative Tenor

Er kommt, er kommt,
Der Bräutgam kommt!
Ihr Töchter Zions, kommt heraus,
Sein Ausgang eilet aus der Höhe
In euer Mutter Haus.
Der Bräutgam kommt, der einem Rehe
Und jungen Hirsche gleich
Auf denen Hügeln springt
Und euch das Mahl der Hochzeit bringt.
Wacht auf, ermuntert euch!
Den Bräutgam zu empfangen!
Dort, sehet, kommt er hergegangen.

3

Aria (Duet) Soprano (Soul), Bass (Jesus)

Soul:
Wenn kömmst du, mein Heil?
Jesus:
Ich komme, dein Teil.
Soul:
Ich wart mit brennendem Öle.
Jesus:
Eröffne den Saal
Soul:
Ich öffne den Saal
Both:
Zum himmlischen Mahl
Soul:
Komm, Jesu!
Jesus:
Komm, liebliche Seele!

4

Chorale Tenor

Zion hört die Wächter singen,
Das Herz tut ihr vor Freuden springen,
Sie wachet und steht eilend auf.
Ihr Freund kommt von Himmel prächtig,
Von Gnaden stark, von Wahrheit mächtig,
Ihr Licht wird hell, ihr Stern geht auf.
Nun komm, du werte Kron,
Herr Jesu, Gottes Sohn!
Hosianna!
Wir folgen all
Zum Freudensall
Und halten mit das Abendmahl.

5

Recitative Bass

So geh herein zu mir,
Du mir erwählte Braut!
Ich habe mich mit dir
Von Ewigkeit vertraut.
Dich will ich auf mein Herz,
Auf meinem Arm gleich wie ein Siegel setzen
Und dein betrübtes Aug ergötzen.
Vergiß, o Seele, nun
Die Angst, den Schmerz,
Den du erdulden müssen;
Auf meiner Linken sollst du ruhn,
Und meine Rechte soll dich küssen.

6

Aria (Duet) Soprano (Soul), Bass (Jesus)

Soul:
Mein Freund ist mein,
Jesus:
Und ich bin dein,
Both:
Die Liebe soll nichts scheiden.
Soul:
Ich will mit dir in Himmels Rosen weiden,
Jesus:
du sollst mit mir in Himmels Rosen weiden,
Both:
Da Freude die Fülle, da Wonne wird sein.

6

Chorale

Gloria sei dir gesungen
Mit Menschen- und englischen Zungen,
Mit Harfen und mit Zimbeln schon.
Von zwölf Perlen sind die Pforten,
An deiner Stadt sind wir Konsorten
Der Engel hoch um deinen Thron.
Kein Aug hat je gespürt,
Kein Ohr hat je gehört
Solche Freude.
Des sind wir froh,
Io, Io!
Ewig in dulci jubilo.

--

English Translation (both versions) by Paul Farseth (December 2002)
Contributed by Paul Farseth (December 2002)

Cantata BWV 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme for 27th Sunday after Trinity (1731)
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BWV 140 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
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Chorale Text: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme [BWV 140/1,4,7]

English Translations (English-8): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted by Event


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: Thursday, September 22, 2022 02:49