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Cantata BWV 166
Wo gehest du hin?
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 166 - Where are you going?

Event: Cantata for Cantate [4th Sunday after Easter]
Readings: Epistle: Jas. 1: 17-21; Gospel: John 16: 5-15
Text: John 16: 5 (Mvt. 1); Bartholomäus Ringwaldt (Mvt. 3); Ämilie Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (Mvt. 6); Anon (Mvts. 2, 4-5)
Chorale Texts: Herr Jesu Christ, ich weiß gar wohl | Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria B

1

Aria [Bass]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Wo gehest du hin?

 

Where are you going? (John 16 : 5)

       

2

Aria T

2

Aria [Tenor]

 

Oboe, Continuo

   
 

Ich will an den Himmel denken
Und der Welt mein Herz nicht schenken.
Denn ich gehe oder stehe,
So liegt mir die Frag im Sinn:
Mensch, ach Mensch, wo gehst du hin?

 

I shall think of heaven
and not give away my heart to the world.
For whether I go or stand still
I have this question in my mind:
Man, ah man, where are you going?

       

3

Choral S

3

Chorale [Soprano]

 

Violino I/II e Viola all' unisono, Continuo

   
 

Ich bitte dich, Herr Jesu Christ,
Halt mich bei den Gedanken
Und lass mich ja zu keiner Frist
Von dieser Meinung wanken,
Sondern dabei verharren fest,
Bis dass die Seel aus ihrem Nest
Wird in den Himmel kommen.

 

I ask you, Lord Jesus Christ,
keep me in your thoughts
and do not let me at any time
falter in this purpose,
but instead let me firmly persevere
until my soul from its nest
shall go to heaven.

       

4

Recitativo B

4

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Gleichwie die Regenwasser bald verfließen
Und manche Farben leicht verschießen,
So geht es auch der Freude in der Welt,
Auf welche mancher Mensch so viele Stücken hält;
Denn ob man gleich zuweilen sieht,
Dass sein gewünschtes Glücke blüht,
So kann doch wohl in besten Tagen
Ganz unvermut' die letzte Stunde schlagen.

 

Just as rainwater soon flows away
and many colours easily fade,
so is it also with joy in this world,
which many people value so highly;
even though sometimes people are seen
to be flourishing with the good fortune for which they longed
still even in the best days
quite unexpectedly the last hour may strike.

       

5

Aria A

5

Aria [Alto]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Man nehme sich in acht,
Wenn das Gelücke lacht.
Denn es kann leicht auf Erden
Vor abends anders werden,
Als man am Morgen nicht gedacht.

 

You should take care
when good fortune smiles.
For easily in this earthly life
before evening things can turn out differently
from what you thought in the morning.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

 

Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende!
Hin geht die Zeit, her kommt der Tod;
Ach wie geschwinde und behände
Kann kommen meine Todesnot.
Mein Gott, ich bitt durch Christi Blut:
Mach's nur mit meinem Ende gut!

 

Who knows how near me is my end!
Time goes away, death comes
Ah how quickly and swiftly
can my death agony come.
My God, I entreat you through the blood of Christ:
just let me make a good end!

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (April 2006)

Contributed by Francis Browne (April 2006)

Cantata BWV 166: Wo gehest du hin? for Cantate [4th Sunday after Easter] (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 166 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-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Texts: Herr Jesu Christ, ich weiß gar wohl [BWV 166/3] | Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende [BWV 166/6]

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