Motet BWV 226
Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf
English Translation in Interlinear Format
Motet BWV 226 - The spirit comes to help our weakness

Event : Funeral
First performance: 24 October 1729
Text : Romans 8: 26-27; Martin Luther (1524)
Choral Text: Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

1

Chorus I/II [S, A, T, B]

Oboe I/II, Taille, Fagotto, Violino I/II, Viola, Violoncello, Continuo (+ Violone)

Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf,
The spirit comes to help our weakness,
denn wir wissen nicht,
For we do not know
was wir beten sollen,
What we should pray,
wie sich's gebühret;
As we ought to pray;
sondern der Geist selbst vertritt
But the spirit itself pleads
uns aufs beste mit unaussprechlichem Seufzen.
For us in the best way with inexpressible groans.
Der aber die Herzen forschet, der weiß,
But he who searches our hearts knows
was des Geistes Sinn sei;
what the Spirit means
denn er vertritt die Heiligen nach dem,
since he pleads for the saints
das Gott gefället.
In the way that pleases God.

2

Chorale [Chorus I/II: S, A, T, B]

Oboe I/II, Taille, Fagotto, Violino I/II, Viola, Violoncello, Continuo (+ Violone)

Du heilige Brunst, süßer Trost
You sacred warmth, sweet consolation,
Nun hilf uns, fröhlich und getrost
now help us joyful and comforted
In deinem Dienst beständig bleiben,
in your service, always to remain
Die Trübsal uns nicht abtreiben.
do not let sorrow drive us away!
O Herr, durch dein Kraft uns bereit
O Lord, through your power make us ready
Und stärk des Fleisches Blödigkeit,
and strengthen the feebleness of our flesh
Dass wir hie ritterlich ringen,
so that we may bravely struggle
Durch Tod und Leben zu dir dringen.
through life and death to reach you!
Halleluja, halleluja.
Alleluia, alleluia.

--

English Translation by Francis Browne (June 2009)
Contributed by Francis Browne (June 2008)

Motets BWV 225-231: Details
Recordings: Until 1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970 | 1971-1980 | 1981-1990 | 1991-2000 | From 2001
General Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Systematic Discussions: BWV 225 | BWV 226 | BWV 227 | BWV 228 | BWV 229 | BWV 230 | BWV 231 | BWV 225-231 - Summary
Individual Recordings: Motets - K. Junghänel & Cantus Cölln | Motets - E. Ericson | Motets - D. Fasolis | Motets - N. Harnoncourt | Motets - R. Kammler
Motet BWV 226: German Text | Translations: Dutch | English-1 | English-3 | English-5 | English-10 | French-6 | Hebrew | Indonesian | Italian-2 | Portuguese-2 | Russian-1 | Spanish
Chorale Text: Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott

English Translations in Interlinear Format (English-3): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted by Event | Note on English Translations