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Cantata BWV 3
Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [I]
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 3 - Ah God, how many a heartache

Event: 2nd Sunday after Epiphany
Readings: Epistle: Romans 12: 6-16; Gospel: John 2: 1-11
Text: Martin Moller (Mvts. 1, 2, 6); Anon (Mvts. 3-5)
Chorale Text: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe d'amore I/II e Trombone col Basso, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid
Begegnet mir zu dieser Zeit!
Der schmale Weg ist trübsalvoll,
Den ich zum Himmel wandern soll.

 

Ah God, how many a heartache
I meet with in this time!
The narrow way is full of affliction
by which I must travel to heaven.

       

2

Recitativo (e Choral) T A S B

2

Recitative (Chorale) [Tenor, Alto, Soprano, Bass / S, A, T, B]

 

Continuo

 

Chor:
Wie schwerlich lässt sich Fleisch und Blut

 

All:
With what difficulty is flesh and blood

 

Tenor:
So nur nach Irdischem und Eitlem trachtet
Und weder Gott noch Himmel achtet,

 

Tenor:
- that strives after only what is earthly and vain
and respects neither God nor heaven -

 

Chor:
Zwingen zu dem ewigen Gut!

 

All:
compelled to care for the everlasting good!

 

Alt:
Da du, o Jesu, nun mein alles bist,
Und doch mein Fleisch so widerspenstig ist.

 

Alto:
Since you , o Jesus, are now my all
and yet my flesh is so unruly

 

Chor:
Wo soll ich mich denn wenden hin?

 

All:
where should I turn to ?

 

Sopran:
Das Fleisch ist schwach, doch will der Geist;
So hilf du mir, der du mein Herze weißt.

 

Soprano:
The flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing;
then help me , you who know my heart.

 

Chor:
Zu dir, o Jesu, steht mein Sinn.

 

All:
It is you, Jesus, by whom my thoughts stand.

 

Bass:
Wer deinem Rat und deiner Hilfe traut,
Der hat wohl nie auf falschen Grund gebaut,
Da du der ganzen Welt zum Trost gekommen,
Und unser Fleisch an dich genommen,
So rettet uns dein Sterben
Vom endlichen Verderben.
Drum schmecke doch ein gläubiges Gemüte
Des Heilands Freundlichkeit und Güte.

 

Bass:
The person who trusts your counsel and help
has certainly not built on false ground,
since you came for the consolation of the whole world
and took our flesh upon you,
and so your death rescues us
from final ruin.
Therefore a believing spirit still tastes
the Saviour's friendship and goodness.

       

3

Aria B

3

Aria [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein,
Doch muss beständig in dem Herzen
Ein rechter Freudenhimmel sein.
Ich darf nur Jesu Namen nennen,
Der kann auch unermessne Schmerzen
Als einen leichten Nebel trennen.

 

Although I may feel hell's anguish and pain,
yet always in my heart
there must be a true heavenly joy.
If I may only mention Jesus' name,
that can pierce even through immeasurable sorrows
as if they were a light mist.

       

4

Recitativo T

4

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

Es mag mir Leib und Geist verschmachten,
Bist du, o Jesu, mein
Und ich bin dein,
Will ichs nicht achten.
Dein treuer Mund
Und dein unendlich Lieben,
Das unverändert stets geblieben,
Erhält mir noch den ersten Bund,
Der meine Brust mit Freudigkeit erfüllet
Und auch des Todes Furcht, des Grabes Schrecken stillet.
Fällt Not und Mangel gleich von allen Seiten ein,
Mein Jesus wird mein Schatz und Reichtum sein.

 

My body and spirit may languish,
but if you are mine, o Jesus,
and I am yours
I will not be at all concerned.
Your faithful mouth
and your eternal love,
that remains unchanged for ever,
still maintain your first covenant with me.
This fills my breast with joy

and also calms the fear of death, the terror of the grave.
Though need and necessity may occur everywhere at once
my Jesus will be my treasure and riches.

       

5

Aria (Duetto) S A

5

Aria (Duetto) [Soprano, Alto]

 

Oboe d'amore I/II e Violino I all' unisono, Continuo

   
 

Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen,
Will ich in Freudigkeit
Zu meinem Jesu singen.
Mein Kreuz hilft Jesus tragen,
Drum will ich gläubig sagen:
Es dient zum besten allezeit.

 

When cares press upon me,
I want in joy
to sing to my Jesus.
Jesus helps to bear my cross,
therefore I want to say in faith:
it is always for the best.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Erhalt mein Herz im Glauben rein,
So leb und sterb ich dir allein.
Jesu, mein Trost, hör mein Begier,
O mein Heiland, wär ich bei dir.

 

Keep my heart pure in faith
so I may live and die for you alone.
Jesus, my comfort, hear my desire,
o my Saviour , I wish that I were with you.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format + Note on the Text

English Translation by Francis Browne (January 2003, January 2007)

Contributed by Francis Browne (January 2003, January 2007)

Cantata BWV 3: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [I] for 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (1725)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

BWV 3 Text: German-1 | German-2 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-14
Arabic-1 | Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-2 | Dutch-3 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Portuguese-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-1 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [BWV 3/1,2,6]

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