Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

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


Cantata BWV 185
Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 185 - Merciful heart of eternal love

Event: Solo Cantata for the 4th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: Romans 8: 18-23; Gospel: Luke 6: 36-42
Text: 1-5 Salomo Franck; 6: Johann Agricola 1529

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria (Duetto e Choral) S T

1

Aria (Duetto e Choral) [Soprano, Tenor]

 

Oboe (o, Tromba), Continuo

   
 

Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe,
Errege, bewege mein Herze durch dich;
Damit ich Erbarmen und Gütigkeit übe,
O Flamme der Liebe, zerschmelze du mich!

 

Merciful heart of eternal love,
may my heart be stirred and moved by you;
so that I may act constantly with pity and goodness.
O flame of love, melt me completely!

       

2

Recitativo A

2

Recitative [Alto]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

Ihr Herzen, die ihr euch
In Stein und Fels verkehret,
Zerfließt und werdet weich,
Erwägt, was euch der Heiland lehret,
Übt, übt Barmherzigkeit
Und sucht noch auf der Erden
Dem Vater gleich zu werden!
Ach! greifet nicht durch das verbotne Richten
Dem Allerhöchsten ins Gericht,
Sonst wird sein Eifer euch zernichten.
Vergebt, so wird euch auch vergeben;
Gebt, gebt in diesem Leben;
Macht euch ein Kapital,
Das dort einmal
Gott wiederzahlt mit reichen Interessen;
Denn wie ihr messt, wird man euch wieder messen.

 

You hearts , who have
turned yourselves into stone and rock,
dissolve and become soft,
consider what your Saviour is teaching you,
act, act constantly with compassion
and seek while you are still on earth
to become like your Father!
Ah! by making judgements that are forbidden do not bring
the Almighy into court against you,
or else his zeal will destroy you.
Forgive so that you may also be forgiven;
give, give in this life,
build up some capital
so that one day in heaven
God will repay you with abundant interest;
for as you measure, so will you be measured.

   
       

3

Aria A

3

Aria [Alto]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

Sei bemüht in dieser Zeit,
Seele, reichlich auszustreuen,
Soll die Ernte dich erfreuen
In der reichen Ewigkeit,
Wo, wer Gutes ausgesäet,
Fröhlich nach den Garben gehet.

 

Make every effort in this life
soul, to scatter your seed generously
so that the harvest may make you rejoice
in the riches of eternity
where whoever has sown goodness
joyfully gathers the sheaves.

       

4

Recitativo B

4

Recitative ]Bass]

 

Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

Die Eigenliebe schmeichelt sich!
Bestrebe dich,
Erst deinen Balken auszuziehen,
Denn magst du dich um Splitter auch bemühen,
Die in des Nächsten Augen sein.
Ist gleich dein Nächster nicht vollkommen rein,
So wisse, dass auch du kein Engel,
Verbessre deine Mängel!
Wie kann ein Blinder mit dem andern
Doch recht und richtig wandern?
Wie, fallen sie zu ihrem Leide
Nicht in die Gruben alle beide?

 

Selfishness flatters itself!
Strive
first to pull out the beam in your eye,
then you can worry about the splinter
that is in your neighbour’s eye.
Your neighbour may well not be perfectly pure,
but just remember : you’re no angel either.
Make better your own failings
How can one blind man with another
walk along the straight and narrow?
Don’t they do themselves harm
and both falll into the ditch?

       

5

Aria B

5

Aria [Bass]

 

Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

Das ist der Christen Kunst:
Nur Gott und sich erkennen,
Von wahrer Liebe brennen,
Nicht unzulässig richten,
Noch fremdes Tun vernichten,
Des Nächsten nicht vergessen,
Mit reichem Maße messen:
Das macht bei Gott und Menschen Gunst,
Das ist der Christen Kunst.

 

This is the Christian’s art :
to know only God and himself
to be on fire with true love,
not to make uncalled for judgements,
not to destroy what others do,
not to forget his neig bour,
to measure with generous measure:
this makes goodwill with God and men,
this is the Christian’s art.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe (Tromba) col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Fagotto col Basso, Violino I, Continuo

 

Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ,
Ich bitt, erhör mein Klagen,
Verleih mir Gnad zu dieser Frist,
Laß mich doch nicht verzagen;
Den rechten Weg, o Herr, ich mein,
Den wollest du mir geben,
Dir zu leben,
Mein'm Nächsten nütz zu sein,
Dein Wort zu halten eben.

 

I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
I pray, hear my lamentation,
bestow your grace on me at this time,
do not let me despair;
I think that I have the right faith, Lord,
which you wanted to give me,
to live for you,
to be useful to my neighbour,
to keep your word properly.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format + Note on the Text

English Translation by Francis Browne (May 2005)

Contributed by Francis Browne (May 2005)

Cantata BWV 185: Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe for 4th Sunday after Trinity (1715)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 185 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 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ [BWV 185/6]

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




 

Back to the Top


Last update: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:23