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 32
Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 32 - Dearest Jesus

Event: Solo Cantata in Dialogue (for Soprano & Bass) for the 1st Sunday after Epiphany.
Readings: Epistle: Romans 12: 1-6; Gospel: Luke 2: 41-52
Text: Georg Christian Lehms (Mvts. 1-3, 5); Luke 2: 49 (Mvt. 2); Paul Gerhardt (Mvt. 6)
Chorale Text: Weg, mein Herz, mit den Gedanken
Dialogue: Soul - Soprano; Jesus - Bass

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria S

1

Aria [Soprano]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Seele:
Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen,
Sage mir, wo find ich dich?
Soll ich dich so bald verlieren
Und nicht ferner bei mir spüren?
Ach! mein Hort, erfreue mich,
Laß dich höchst vergnügt umfangen.

 

Soul:
Dearest Jesus, my desire,
Tell me, where do I find you?
Shall I lose you so soon

And no longer feel you with me?
Ah! my refuge, give me joy

Let me in highest contentment embrace you/

       

2

Recitativo B

2

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Jesus:
Was ists, dass du mich gesuchet?
Weißt du nicht, dass ich sein muss in dem, das meines Vaters ist?

 

Jesus:
Why is it that you looked for me?
Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2:49)

       

3

Aria B

3

Aria [Bass]

 

Violino solo, Continuo

   
 

Jesus:
Hier, in meines Vaters Stätte,
Findt mich ein betrübter Geist.
Da kannst du mich sicher finden
Und dein Herz mit mir verbinden,
Weil dies meine Wohnung heißt.

 

Jesus:
Here, in my Father's place
A distressed spirit finds me.
Here you can certainly find me

And unite your heart with me,
Since this is called my dwelling.

       

4

Recitativo (Dialog) S B

4

Recitative (Dialogue) - Soul [Soprano], Jesus [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Seele:
Ach! heiliger und großer Gott,
So will ich mir
Denn hier bei dir
Beständig Trost und Hilfe suchen.

 

Soul:
Ah! holy and great God,
Then I shall

Here by you
Constantly look for consolation and help.

 

Jesus:
Wirst du den Erdentand verfluchen
Und nur in diese Wohnung gehn,
So kannst du hier und dort bestehn.

 

Jesus:
If you curse earthly trifles
And only go to this dwelling
Then you can overcome both in this world and the next.

 

Seele:
Wie lieblich ist doch deine Wohnung,
Herr, starker Zebaoth;
Mein Geist verlangt
Nach dem, was nur in deinem Hofe prangt.
Mein Leib und Seele freuet sich
In dem lebendgen Gott:
Ach! Jesu, meine Brust liebt dich nur ewiglich.

 

Soul:
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, mighty Sabaoth;
My spirit longs

For what shines only in your court.
My body and soul rejoice

In the living God:
Ah! Jesus,my breast loves you simply forever.

 

Jesus:
So kannst du glücklich sein,
Wenn Herz und Geist
Aus Liebe gegen mich entzündet heißt.

 

Jesus:
Then you can be happy
When heart and spirit
Are said to be on fire with love for me.

 

Seele:
Ach! dieses Wort, das itzo schon
Mein Herz aus Babels Grenzen reißt,
Fass' ich mir andachtsvoll in meiner Seele ein.

 

Soul:
Ah! this word , which already
Snatches my heart from Babel's bounds,
I reverently grasp in my heart.

       

5

Aria (Duetto) S B

5

Aria (Duet) [Soprano, Bass]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Beide:
Nun verschwinden alle Plagen,
Nun verschwindet Ach und Schmerz.

 

Both:
Now all torments disappear,
Now grief and sorrow disappear.

Seele:
Nun will ich nicht von dir lassen,

Soul:
Now I shall not abandon you,

 

Jesus:
Und ich dich auch stets umfassen.

 

Jesus:
And I also shall constantly embrace you.

 

Seele:
Nun vergnüget sich mein Herz

 

Soul:
Now my heart is content

 

Jesus:
Und kann voller Freude sagen:

 

Jesus:
And filled with joy can say:

 

Beide:
Nun verschwinden alle Plagen,
Nun verschwindet Ach und Schmerz!

 

Both:
Now all torments disappear,
Now grief and sorrow disappear.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Mein Gott, öffne mir die Pforten
Solcher Gnad und Gütigkeit,
Laß mich allzeit allerorten
Schmecken deine Süßigkeit!
Liebe mich und treib mich an,
Dass ich dich, so gut ich kann,
Wiederum umfang und liebe
Und ja nun nicht mehr betrübe.

 

My God, open for me the gates
Of such grace and kindness
Let me always everywhere
Taste your sweetness
Love me and drive me on
So that to the best of my ability
I may in response embrace and love you
And never grieve you again.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (July 2008)

Contributed by Francis Browne (July 2008)

Cantata BWV 32: Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen for 1st Sunday after Epiphany (1726)
Details | Complete Recordings: 1900-1949 | 1950-1959 | 1960-1969 | 1970-1979 | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2020-2029 | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 32 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-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-6 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hebrew-8 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Italian-4 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Portuguese-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Weg, mein Herz, mit den Gedanken [BWV 32/6]

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 14:25