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Cantata BWV 169
Gott soll allein mein Herze haben
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 169 - God alone should possess my heart

Event: Solo Cantata for the 18th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1: 4-8; Gospel: Matthew 22: 34-46
Text: Martin Luther (Mvt. 7); Anon (Mvts. 2-6)

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Sinfonia

1

Sinfonia

 

Oboe I/II, Taille, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo obligato e Continuo

       

2

Arioso A

2

Arioso [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Gott soll allein mein Herze haben.
Zwar merk ich an der Welt,
Die ihren Kot unschätzbar hält,
Weil sie so freundlich mit mir tut,
Sie wollte gern allein
Das Liebste meiner Seele sein.
Doch nein; Gott soll allein mein Herze haben:
Ich find in ihm das höchste Gut.
Wir sehen zwar
Auf Erden hier und dar
Ein Bächlein der Zufriedenheit,
Das von des Höchsten Güte quillet;
Gott aber ist der Quell, mit Strömen angefüllet,
Da schöpf ich, was mich allezeit
Kann sattsam und wahrhaftig laben:
Gott soll allein mein Herze haben.

 

God alone should possess my heart.
But I am well aware that the world,
which considers its excrement to be priceless,
since it treats me in such a friendly fashion,
would willingly be alone
what my soul loves best.
But no - God alone should possess my heart:
I find in him my highest good.
We do indeed see
here and there on the earth
a small stream of contentment
that flows from the goodness of the Highest;
but God is the source, overflowing with rivers,
from this source I derive what for eternity
can refresh me truly and sufficiently:
God alone should possess my heart.

       

3

Aria A

3

Aria [Alto]

 

Organo obligato e Continuo

   
 

Gott soll allein mein Herze haben,
Ich find in ihm das höchste Gut.
Er liebt mich in der bösen Zeit
Und will mich in der Seligkeit
Mit Gütern seines Hauses laben.

 

God alone should possess my heart,
I find in him the highest good
He loves me in evil times
and wants in heavenly bliss
to refresh me with the good things of his house.

       

4

Recitativo A

4

Recitativo [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Was ist die Liebe Gottes?
Des Geistes Ruh,
Der Sinnen Lustgenieß,
Der Seele Paradies.
Sie schließt die Hölle zu,
Den Himmel aber auf;
Sie ist Elias Wagen,
Da werden wir in Himmel nauf
In Abrahms Schoß getragen.

 

What is the love of God?
The spirit's inner peace,
the mind's delight,
the soul's paradise.
It shuts off hell
but opens up heaven;
it is Elias' chariot,
in which we shall be carried up to heaven
to Abraham's bosom.

       

5

Aria A

5

Aria [Alto]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Organo obligato e Continuo

   
 

Stirb in mir,
Welt und alle deine Liebe,
Dass die Brust
Sich auf Erden für und für
In der Liebe Gottes übe;
Stirb in mir,
Hoffart, Reichtum, Augenlust,
Ihr verworfnen Fleischestriebe!

 

Die in me,
you world and all your loves
so that my heart
on earth for ever and ever
may practise God's way of love;
Die in me,
arrogance, wealth and greedy lust of the eyes,
you abject promptings of the flesh.

       

6

Recitativo A

6

Recitative [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Doch meint es auch dabei
Mit eurem Nächsten treu!
Denn so steht in der Schrift geschrieben:
Du sollst Gott und den Nächsten lieben.

 

But keep in mind also
to be sincere with your neighbour!
For it is written in the scriptures:
you should love God and your neighbour.

       

7

Choral

7

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Du süße Liebe, schenk uns deine Gunst,
Laß uns empfinden der Liebe Brunst,
Dass wir uns von Herzen einander lieben
Und in Friede auf einem Sinn bleiben.
Kyrie eleis.

 

You sweet love, grant us your favour,
let us feel the ardour of love
so that we may love one another from our hearts
and remain with one mind in peace.
Lord, have mercy.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (September 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (September 2002)

Cantata BWV 169: Gott soll allein mein Herze haben for 18th Sunday after Trinity (1726)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 169 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 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-1 | Dutch-7 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Hungarian-2 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-5 | Japanese-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist [BWV 169/7]

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