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Cantata BWV 27
Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende?
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 27 - Who knows how near my end is to me?

Event: Chorale Cantata for the 16th Sunday after Trinity
Readings:
Reading: Epistle: Ephesians 3: 13-21; Gospel: Luke 7: 11-17
Text: Ämilie Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (Mvt. 1); Johann Georg Albinus (Mvt. 6); Anon (Mvt. 2-5)
Chorale Texts: Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende | Alle Menschen müssen sterben

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Choral e Recitativo S A T

1

Chorale [S, A, T, B] and Recitative [Soprano, Alto, Tenor]

 

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

   
 

Chor:
Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende?

 

Chorus:
Who knows how near my end is to me?

 

Sopran:
Das weiß der liebe Gott allein,
Ob meine Wallfahrt auf der Erden
Kurz oder länger möge sein.

 

Soprano:
It is known only by the dear God
whether my pilgrimage on earth
may be short or longer.

 

Chor:
Hin geht die Zeit, her kommt der Tod,

 

Chorus:
Time departs, death approaches.

 

Alt:
Und endlich kommt es doch so weit,
Dass sie zusammentreffen werden.

 

Alto:
And in the end there comes a point
that they will meet together.

 

Chor:
Ach, wie geschwinde und behände
Kann kommen meine Todesnot!

 

Chorus:
Ah, with what speed and agility
my death agony can come !

 

Tenor:
Wer weiß, ob heute nicht
Mein Mund die letzten Worte spricht.
Drum bet ich alle Zeit:

 

Tenor:
Who knows whether it is not today
that my mouth may speak my last words.
Therefore I pray at all times:

 

Chor:
Mein Gott, ich bitt durch Christi Blut,
Mach's nur mit meinem Ende gut!

 

Chorus:
My God, I pray through Christ's blood,
make sure my end is good !

       

2

Recitativo T

2

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

Mein Leben hat kein ander Ziel,
Als dass ich möge selig sterben
Und meines Glaubens Anteil erben;
Drum leb ich allezeit
Zum Grabe fertig und bereit,
Und was das Werk der Hände tut,
Ist gleichsam, ob ich sicher wüsste,
Dass ich noch heute sterben müßte:
Denn Ende gut, macht alles gut!

 

My life has no other goal
than that I may die a blessed death
and inherit the portion of my faith;
therefore I live at all times
ready and prepared for the grave
and the work that my hand does
is just as if I knew for certain
that I must die this very day:
for a good end makes everything turn out well!

       

3

Aria A

3

Aria [Alto]

 

Oboe da caccia, Organo obligato, Continuo

   
 

Willkommen! will ich sagen,
Wenn der Tod ans Bette tritt.
Fröhlich will ich folgen, wenn er ruft,
In die Gruft,
Alle meine Plagen
Nehm ich mit.

 

"Welcome!" I want to say
when death steps up to my bed
Happily I want to follow ,when he calls,
to the grave,
all my troubles

I take with me.

       

4

Recitativo S

4

Recitativo [Soprano]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Ach, wer doch schon im Himmel wär!
Ich habe Lust zu scheiden
Und mit dem Lamm,
Das aller Frommen Bräutigam,
Mich in der Seligkeit zu weiden.
Flügel her!
Ach, wer doch schon im Himmel wär!

 

Ah, to be in heaven already !
I have a desire to depart
and with the lamb,
the bridegroom for all who are devout,
enjoy blissful pasture.
Give me wings!
Ah, to be in heaven already!

       

5

Aria B

5

Aria [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Gute Nacht, du Weltgetümmel!
Itzt mach ich mit dir Beschluss;
Ich steh schon mit einem Fuß
Bei dem lieben Gott im Himmel.

 

Goodnight, world's turmoil!
Now I have done with you;
I stand already with one foot
next to my dear God in heaven.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Welt, ade! ich bin dein müde,
Ich will nach dem Himmel zu,
Da wird sein der rechte Friede
Und die ewge, stolze Ruh.
Welt, bei dir ist Krieg und Streit,
Nichts denn lauter Eitelkeit,
In dem Himmel allezeit
Friede, Freud und Seligkeit.

 

World, farewell! I am weary of you,
I want to go to heaven,
iin that place there will be true peace
and evelasting , noble rest
World, with you there is war and strife,
nothing but pure vanity,
in heaven there are forever
peace, joy and bliss.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (September 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (September 2002)

Cantata BWV 27: Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende? for 16th Sunday after Trinity (1726)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 27 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-13 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Texts: Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende [BWV 27/1] | Welt, ade! ich bin dein müde [BWV 27/6]

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 14:25