Event: 2^nd Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: 1 John 3: 13-18; Gospel: Luke 14: 16-24
Text: Martin Luther (Mvts. 1, 6 - after Psalm 12); Anon (Mvts. 2-5)
Chorale Text: Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein

Chorale in purple font

1. Chorale [S, A, T, B]

Violino I e Trombone I col Soprano, Violino II e Oboe I/II e Trombone II coll'Alto, Viola e Trombone III col Tenore, Trombone IV col Basso, Continuo

Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein
Und laß dich's doch erbarmen!
Wie wenig sind der Heilgen dein,
Verlassen sind wir Armen;
Dein Wort man nicht läßt haben wahr,
Der Glaub ist auch verloschen gar
Bei allen Menschenkindern.

Ah God, look down from heaven
and still have mercy on us!
How few of the saints belong to you,
We poor wretches are forsaken,
people simply will not believe your word,
faith is also now fading away
among all mankind.

2. Recitative [Tenor]

Continuo

Sie lehren eitel falsche List,
Was wider Gott und seine Wahrheit ist;
Und was der eigen Witz erdenket,
- O Jammer! -der die Kirche schmerzlich kränket ,
Das muß anstatt der Bibel stehn.
Der eine wählet dies, der andre das,
Die törichte Vernunft ist ihr Kompaß;
Sie gleichen denen Totengräbern
Die, ob sie zwar von außen schön,
Nur Stank und Moder in sich fassen
Und lauter Unflat sehen lassen.

They teach vain, false cunning
which is against God and his truth
and what their own wit thinks up,
--o sorrow! -which painfully harms the church -
that must take the place of the Bible.
One chooses this, another that.
foolish reason is their compass;
they are like the tombs of dead men
that although they may be outwardly fair
contain within themselves only stench and corruption
and reveal sheer muck.

3. Aria [Alto]

Violino solo, Continuo

Tilg, o Gott, die Lehren,
So dein Wort verkehren!
Wehre doch der Ketzerei
Und allen Rottengeistern;
Denn sie sprechen ohne Scheu:
Trotz dem, der uns will meistern!

Wipe out, o God, all the teachings
that pervert your word in this way.
Guard against heresy
and all rabblerousers;
for they speak without dread:
they defy him, who wants to be our master!

4. Recitative [Bass]

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Die Armen sind verstört,
Ihr seufzend Ach, ihr ängstlich Klagen
Bei soviel Kreuz und Not,
Wodurch die Feinde fromme Seelen plagen,
Dringt in das Gnadenohr des Allerhöchsten ein.
Darum spricht Gott: Ich muß ihr Helfer sein!
Ich hab ihr Flehn erhört,
Der Hilfe Morgenrot,
Der reinen Wahrheit heller Sonnenschein
Soll sie mit neuer Kraft,
Die Trost und Leben schafft,
Erquicken und erfreun.
Ich will mich ihrer Not erbarmen,
Mein heilsam Wort soll sein die Kraft der Armen.

The poor are bewildered,
their sighing 'Ah', their anguished laments
among so much cross and woe,
with which their enemies torment devout souls,
reaches the merciful ear of the Almighty.
For this reason God speaks: I must be their helper!
I have heard their entreaty,
the dawn of help,
bright sunshine of the pure truth
with new strength,
that creates consolation and life,
shall revive and delight them.
I want to take pity on their distress,
my holy word shall be strength for the poor.

5. Aria [Tenor]

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

Durchs Feuer wird das Silber rein,
Durchs Kreuz das Wort bewährt erfunden.
Drum soll ein Christ zu allen Stunden
Im Kreuz und Not geduldig sein.

Silver becomes pure through fire,
God's word has been found to be tried and tested through the cross.
Therefore a Christian at all hours
should be patient in his cross and distress.

6. Chorale [S, A, T, B]

Violino I e Oboe I/II e Trombone I col Soprano, Violino II e Trombone II coll'Alto, Viola e Trombone III col Tenore, Trombone IV col Basso, Continuo

Das wollst du, Gott, bewahren rein
Für diesem arg'n Geschlechte;
Und laß uns dir befohlen sein,
Daß sichs in uns nicht flechte.
Der gottlos Hauf sich umher findt,
Wo solche lose Leute sind
In deinem Volk erhaben.

May you , God, keep pure that [Word]
in the face of this evil generation
and grant that we may entrust ourselves to you,
so that nothing in us may twist it.
The godless crowd surounds us
where such mischievous characters
are exalted among your people.

Note on the Text

The text of this choral cantata is based on Martin Luther's adaption of Psalm 12 (1524). As often in such cantatas the first and last verses are retained word for word (movements 1 and 6) but each of the inner verses is paraphrased to form a recitative or aria (movements two 2-5). Several lines from verses two and four, however are adopted literally or almost so, in the second and fourth movements. In general, the anonymous text editor follows Luther's hymn very accurately.

(Information based on Dürr The Cantatas of J. S. Bach)

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English Translation by Francis Browne (May 2002; revised January 2007)
Contributed by Francis Browne (May 2002)

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