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Cantata BWV 4
Christ lag in Todesbanden
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 4 - Christ lay in death's bonds

Event: Easter Day [Easter Sunday]
Readings: Epistle: 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8; Gospel: Markus 16: 1-8
Text: Martin Luther
Chorale Text: Christ lag in Todesbanden

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Sinfonia

1

Sinfonia

 

Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Continuo

   
       

2

Versus 1 S A T B

2

Versus 1 [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Christ lag in Todesbanden
Für unsre Sünd gegeben,
Er ist wieder erstanden
Und hat uns bracht das Leben;
Des wir sollen fröhlich sein,
Gott loben und ihm dankbar sein
Und singen halleluja,
Halleluja!

 

Christ lay in death's bonds
handed over for our sins,
he is risen again
and has brought us life
For this we should be joyful,
praise God and be thankful to him
and sing allelluia,
Alleluia!

       

3

Versus 2 S A

3

Versus 2 [Soprano, Alto]

 

Cornetto col Soprano, Trombone I coll'Alto, Continuo

 

Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt
Bei allen Menschenkindern,
Das macht' alles unsre Sünd,
Kein Unschuld war zu finden.
Davon kam der Tod so bald
Und nahm über uns Gewalt,
Hielt uns in seinem Reich gefangen.
Halleluja!

 

Nobody could overcome death
among all the children of mankind.
Our sin was the cause of all this,
no innocence was to be found.
Therefore death came so quickly
and seized power over us,
held us captive in his kingdom.
Alleluia!

       

4

Versus 3 T

4

Versus 3 [Tenor]

 

Violino I/II, Continuo

   
 

Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn,
An unser Statt ist kommen
Und hat die Sünde weggetan,
Damit dem Tod genommen
All sein Recht und sein Gewalt,
Da bleibet nichts denn Tods Gestalt,
Den Stach'l hat er verloren.
Halleluja!

 

Jesus Christ, God's son,
has come in our place
and has put aside our sins,
and in this way from death has taken
all his rights and his power,
here remains nothing but death's outward form
it has lost its sting.
Alleluia!

       

5

Versus 4 S A T B

5

Versus 4 S A T B

Continuo

 

Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg,
Da Tod und Leben rungen,
Das Leben behielt den Sieg,
Es hat den Tod verschlungen.
Die Schrift hat verkündigt das,
Wie ein Tod den andern fraß,
Ein Spott aus dem Tod ist worden.
Halleluja!

 

It was a strange battle
where death and life struggled.
Life won the victory,
it has swallowed up death
Scripture has proclaimed
how one death ate the other,
death has become a mockery.
Alleluia!

       

6

Versus 5 B

6

Versus 5 [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola I/II, Continuo

   
 

Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm,
Davon Gott hat geboten,
Das ist hoch an des Kreuzes Stamm
In heißer Lieb gebraten,
Das Blut zeichnet unsre Tür,
Das hält der Glaub dem Tode für,
Der Würger kann uns nicht mehr schaden.
Halleluja!

 

Here is the true Easter lamb
that God has offered
which high on the trunk of the cross
is roasted in burning love,
whose blood marks our doors,
which faith holds in front of death,

the strangler can harm us no more
Alleluia!

       

7

Versus 6 S T

7

Versus 6 [Soprano, Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

So feiern wir das hohe Fest
Mit Herzensfreud und Wonne,
Das uns der Herre scheinen lässt,
Er ist selber die Sonne,
Der durch seiner Gnade Glanz
Erleuchtet unsre Herzen ganz,
Der Sünden Nacht ist verschwunden.
Halleluja!

 

Thus we celebrate the high feast
with joy in our hearts and delight
that the Lord lets shine for us,
He is himself the sun
who through the brilliance of his grace
enlightens our hearts completely,
the night of sin has disappeared.
Alleluia!

       

8

Versus 7 S A T B

8

Versus 7 [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Wir essen und leben wohl
In rechten Osterfladen,
Der alte Sauerteig nicht soll
Sein bei dem Wort der Gnaden,
Christus will die Koste sein
Und speisen die Seel allein,
Der Glaub will keins andern leben.
Halleluja!

 

We eat and live well
on the right Easter cakes,
the old sour-dough should not
be with the word grace,
Christ will be our food
and alone feed the soul,
faith will live in no other way.
Alleluia!

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format + Note on the Text

English Translation by Francis Browne (March 2002, January 2005)

Contributed by Francis Browne (March 2002, January 2005)

Cantata BWV 4: Christ lag in Todesbanden for Easter Day [Easter Sunday] (1707-1708)
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BWV 4 Text: German-1 | German-2 | German-6 (1) | German-6 (2) | German-7 (1) | German-7 (2) | NBA Text
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Chorale Text: Christ lag in Todesbanden [BWV 4/2-8]

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Last update: Sunday, July 02, 2023 14:24