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Cantata BWV 161
Komm, du süße Todesstunde
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 161 - Come, sweet hour of death

Event 1: Cantata for the 16th Sunday after Trinity
Readings:
Epistle: Ephesians 3: 13-21; Gospel: Luke 7: 11-17
Event 2: Feast of Purification of Mary
Readings: Epistle: Malachi 3: 1-4; Gospel: Luke 2: 22-32
Text:
Salomo Franck (Mvts. 1-5); Christoph Knoll (Mvt. 6)
Chorale Text:
Herzlich tut mich verlangen

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria A

1

Aria and chorale [Alto]

 

Flauto traverso I/II, Continuo

   
 

Komm, du süße Todesstunde,
Da mein Geist
Honig speist
Aus des Löwen Munde;
Mache meinen Abschied süße,
Säume nicht,
Letztes Licht,
Dass ich meinen Heiland küsse.

 

Come, sweet hour of death,
when my spirit

feeds on honey
from the lion's mouth;
make my departure sweet,
do not delay,
last light

so that I may kiss my saviour.

       

2

Recitativo T

2

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

Welt, deine Lust ist Last,
Dein Zucker ist mir als ein Gift verhasst,
Dein Freudenlicht
Ist mein Komete,
Und wo man deine Rosen bricht,
Sind Dornen ohne Zahl
Zu meiner Seele Qual.
Der blasse Tod ist meine Morgenröte,
Mit solcher geht mir auf die Sonne
Der Herrlichkeit und Himmelswonne.
Drum seufz ich recht von Herzensgrunde
Nur nach der letzten Todesstunde.
Ich habe Lust, bei Christo bald zu weiden,
Ich habe Lust, von dieser Welt zu scheiden.

 

World, your pleasure is a burden
I hate your sweetness as if it were poison,
your joyful light

is my star of ill omen
and where your roses are gathered
there are thorns beyond counting
to cause my soul anguish.
Pale death is for me the glow of dawn,
with which arises for me the sun

of glory and heavenly delight.
Therefore I truly sigh from the bottom of my heart

only for the final hour of death.
I desire to pasture soon by Christ,
I desire to depart from this world.

       

3

Aria T

3

Aria [tenor]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Mein Verlangen
Ist, den Heiland zu umfangen
Und bei Christo bald zu sein.
Ob ich sterblich' Asch und Erde
Durch den Tod zermalmet werde,
Wird der Seele reiner Schein
Dennoch gleich den Engeln prangen.

 

My longing
is to embrace the saviour
and soon to be with Christ.
although as mortal ashes and earth

I may be crushed by death,
the pure light of my soul will

Then be resplendent like the angels.

       

4

Recitativo A

4

Recitative [Alto]

 

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

   
 

Der Schluss ist schon gemacht,
Welt, gute Nacht!
Und kann ich nur den Trost erwerben,
In Jesu Armen bald zu sterben:
Er ist mein sanfter Schlaf.
Das kühle Grab wird mich mit Rosen decken,
Bis Jesus mich wird auferwecken,
Bis er sein Schaf
Führt auf die süße Lebensweide,
Dass mich der Tod von ihm nicht scheide.
So brich herein, du froher Todestag,
So schlage doch, du letzter Stundenschlag!

 

The decisionis already made,
World, goodnight!
and
if I can only gain consolation
by dying soon in Jesus's arms,
He is my sweet sleep.
The cool tomb will cover me with roses

until Jesus awakens me,
until he leads his sheep

to the sweet pastures of life
so death does not separate me from him!
Therefore dawn, sweet day of death,
therefore sound, stroke of the last hour!

       

5

Coro

5

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

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

   
 

Wenn es meines Gottes Wille,
Wünsch ich, dass des Leibes Last
Heute noch die Erde fülle,
Und der Geist, des Leibes Gast,
Mit Unsterblichkeit sich kleide
In der süßen Himmelsfreude.
Jesu, komm und nimm mich fort!
Dieses sei mein letztes Wort.

 

If it is the will of my God
I wish that the burden of my body
may this day fill the earth
and that my spirit, the body's guest,
may be clothed in immortality

in the sweet joy in heaven.
Jesus, come take me from here!
May this be my last word.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

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

   
 

Der Leib zwar in der Erden
Von Würmen wird verzehrt,
Doch auferweckt soll werden,
Durch Christum schön verklärt,
Wird leuchten als die Sonne
Und leben ohne Not
In himml'scher Freud und Wonne.
Was schadt mir denn der Tod?

 

The body indeed in the earth
will be eaten by worms,
but it will be awakened,
transfigured in beauty through Christ,
it will shine like the sun

and live without anguish
in the joy and delight of heaven.
What harm then can death do me?

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (October 2008)

Contributed by Francis Browne (October 2008)

Cantata BWV 161: Komm, du süße Todesstunde for 16th Sunday after Trinity / Feast of Purification of Mary (1716)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 161 Text: German-1 | German-6 (1) | German-6 (2) | German-7 (1) | German-7 (2) | 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 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Herzlich tut mich verlangen [BWV 161/1 (later Leipzig version),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 14:23