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Cantata BWV 165
O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 165 - O sacred bath of water and the Spirit

Event: Cantata for Trinity Sunday
Readings: Epistle: Romans 11: 33-36; Gospel: John 3: 1-15
Text: Salomo Franck (Mvts. 1-5); Ludwig Helmbold (Mvt. 6)
Chorale Text: Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria S

1

Aria [Soprano]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad,
Das Gottes Reich uns einverleibet
Und uns ins Buch des Lebens schreibet!
O Flut, die alle Missetat
Durch ihre Wunderkraft ertränket
Und uns das neue Leben schenket!
O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad!

 

O sacred bath of water and the Spirit
that incorporates us in God’s kingdom
and writes us down in the book of life!
O flood-tide, that drowns all misdeeds
through its miraculous power
and gives us the gift of new life!
O sacred bath of water and the Spirit!

       

2

Recitativo B

2

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Die sündige Geburt verdammter Adamserben
Gebieret Gottes Zorn, den Tod und das Verderben.
Denn was vom Fleisch geboren ist,
Ist nichts als Fleisch, von Sünden angestecket,
Vergiftet und beflecket.
Wie selig ist ein Christ!
Er wird im Geist- und Wasserbade
Ein Kind der Seligkeit und Gnade.
Er ziehet Christum an
Und seiner Unschuld weiße Seide,
Er wird mit Christi Blut, der Ehren Purpurkleide,
Im Taufbad angetan.

 

he sinful birth of the damned seed of Adam
brings forth God’s anger, death and destruction.
For what is born of flesh
is no more than flesh, by sin infected
poisoned and defiled
How blessed is a Christian!
By the bath of water and the Spirit
he becomes a child of blessedness and mercy.
He puts on Christ
and the white silk of his innocence
He is clothed with Christ’s blood, the purple robe of honour
in baptism.

       

3

Aria A

3

Aria [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Jesu, der aus großer Liebe
In der Taufe mir verschriebe
Leben, Heil und Seligkeit,
Hilf, dass ich mich dessen freue
Und den Gnadenbund erneue
In der ganzen Lebenszeit.

 

Jesus, who by your great love
in baptism has written me down for
for life, salvation and blessedness,
help me to rejoice in this
and to renew the covenant of mercy
throughout my whole lifetime.

       

4

Recitativo B

4

Recitative [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

Ich habe ja, mein Seelenbräutigam,
Da du mich neu geboren,
Dir ewig treu zu sein geschworen,
Hochheilges Gotteslamm;
Doch hab ich, ach! den Taufbund oft gebrochen
Und nicht erfüllt, was ich versprochen,
Erbarme, Jesu, dich
Aus Gnaden über mich!
Vergib mir die begangne Sünde,
Du weißt, mein Gott, wie schmerzlich ich empfinde
Der alten Schlangen Stich;
Das Sündengift verderbt mir Leib und Seele,
Hilf, dass ich gläubig dich erwähle,
Blutrotes Schlangenbild,
Das an dem Kreuz erhöhet,
Das alle Schmerzen stillt
Und mich erquickt, wenn alle Kraft vergehet.

 

I have indeed, my soul’s bridegroom,
since you have given me a new birth,
sworn to be faithful to you for ever,
most holy lamb of God;
Yet I have, alas! often broken the covenant of baptism
and not fulfilled what I have promised
In your mercy have pity on me!
Forgive me the sins I have commtted,
you know, my God, how painfully I feel
the old serpent’s sting;
Sin’s poison destroys my body and soul,
Help me, so that in faith I may choose you,
blood-red image of a serpent,
that was raised on the cross,
and calms all pain
and gives me new life, when all my strength fails.

       

5

Aria T

5

Aria [Tenor]

 

Violino I/II all' unisono, Continuo

   
 

Jesu, meines Todes Tod,
Laß in meinem Leben
Und in meiner letzten Not
Mir für Augen schweben,
Dass du mein Heilschlänglein seist
Vor das Gift der Sünde.
Heile, Jesu, Seel und Geist,
Dass ich Leben ende!

 

Jesus, death of my death
in my life
and in my last agony
let me keep this thought in view :
that for me you are the beloved serpent who brings salvation
from the poison ofsin
Save, Jesus, my soul and spirit
so that I may find life.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Fagotto col Basso, Continuo

 

Sein Wort, sein Tauf, sein Nachtmahl
Dient wider allen Unfall,
Der Heilge Geist im Glauben
Lehrt uns darauf vertrauen.

 

His word, his baptism, his supper
serve us against all misfortune
The Holy Spirit in faith
teaches us to trust in these things.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (April 2005)

Contributed by Francis Browne (April 2005)

Cantata BWV 165: O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad for Trinity Sunday (1715)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 165 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-3 | French-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren [BWV 165/6]

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