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Cantata BWV 56
Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 56 - I would gladly bear the cross-beam

Event: Solo Cantata (for Bass) for the 19th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: Ephesians 4: 22-28; Gospel: Matthew 9: 1-8
Text: Johann Franck (Mvt. 5); Anon (Mvts. 1-4)
Chorale Text: Du, o schönes Weltgebäude

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Aria B

1

Aria [Bass]

 

Oboe I e Violino I all' unisono, Oboe II e Violino II all' unisono, Taille e Viola all' unisono, Continuo

 

Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen,
Er kömmt von Gottes lieber Hand,
Der führet mich nach meinen Plagen
Zu Gott, in das gelobte Land.
Da leg ich den Kummer auf einmal ins Grab,
Da wischt mir die Tränen mein Heiland selbst ab.

 

I would gladly bear the cross-beam,
it comes from God's dear hand,
it leads me after my troubles
to God, in the promised land.
There I shall finally lay my anxiety in the grave,
there my Saviour himself will wipe away my tears.

       

2

Recitativo B

2

Recitative [Bass]

 

Violoncello, Continuo

   
 

Mein Wandel auf der Welt
Ist einer Schiffahrt gleich:
Betrübnis, Kreuz und Not
Sind Wellen, welche mich bedecken
Und auf den Tod
Mich täglich schrecken;
Mein Anker aber, der mich hält,
Ist die Barmherzigkeit,
Womit mein Gott mich oft erfreut.
Der rufet so zu mir:
Ich bin bei dir,
Ich will dich nicht verlassen noch versäumen!
Und wenn das wütenvolle Schäumen
Sein Ende hat,
So tret ich aus dem Schiff in meine Stadt,
Die ist das Himmelreich,
Wohin ich mit den Frommen
Aus vielem Trübsal werde kommen.

 

My wandering in the world
is like a journey by ship :
grief, suffering and distress
are waves which cover me
and with death
terrify me each day;
but the anchor which holds me
is the compassion
With which my God often gladdens me
In this way he calls to me:
I am with you,
I shall neither abandon nor neglect you!
and when the sea's raging and foaming
comes to an end,
then I shall step from the ship into my city
which is the kingdom of heaven
where with the righteous I
after many tribulations shall come.

       

3

Aria B

3

Aria [Bass]

 

Oboe solo, Continuo

   
 

Endlich, endlich wird mein Joch
Wieder von mir weichen müssen.
Da krieg ich in dem Herren Kraft,
Da hab ich Adlers Eigenschaft,
Da fahr ich auf von dieser Erden
Und laufe sonder matt zu werden.
O gescheh es heute noch!

 

Finally, finally will my yoke
again have to fall away from me
and then I shall get strength in the Lord,
then I shall have an eagle's nature,
then I shall ascend from this earth
And run without becoming weary.
If only this could happen today!

       

4

Recitativo e Arioso B

4

Recitative and Arioso [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Ich stehe fertig und bereit,
Das Erbe meiner Seligkeit
Mit Sehnen und Verlangen
Von Jesus Händen zu empfangen.
Wie wohl wird mir geschehn,
Wenn ich den Port der Ruhe werde sehn.

 

I stand ready and prepared
the inheritance of my bliss
with longing and yearning
to receive from Jesus' hands.
How happy I shall be
When I shall see the harbour of peace.

 

Da leg ich den Kummer auf einmal ins Grab,
Da wischt mir die Tränen mein Heiland selbst ab.

 

There I shall finally lay my anxiety in the grave,
there my Saviour himself shall wipe away my tears.

       

5

Choral

5

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder,
Komm und führe mich nur fort;
Löse meines Schiffleins Ruder,
Bringe mich an sichern Port!
Es mag, wer da will, dich scheuen,
Du kannst mich vielmehr erfreuen;
Denn durch dich komm ich herein
Zu dem schönsten Jesulein.

 

Come,O death, you brother of sleep,
come and lead me away from here;
release my little ship's rudder,
bring me to a safe harbour!
Those who will can shun you
you can gladden me much more
since through you I shall come
To my most precious dear Jesus.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (January 2008)

Contributed by Francis Browne (January 2008)

Cantata BWV 56: Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen for 19th Sunday after Trinity (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 | Part 5
Articles: Program Notes to Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56 [S. Burton] | BWV 56 “Ich will den Xstab gerne tragen” - An Attempt to Trace the Symbols and Other Poetic Expressions in the Libretto Back to Their Original Sources [T. Braatz]

BWV 56 Text: German-1 | German-2 | 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 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-1 | Dutch-4 | Dutch-6 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-2 | Hebrew-3 | Hungarian-1 | Hungarian-2 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Japanese-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Romanian-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Emblemata: BWV 56/1
Chorale Text: Du, o schönes Weltgebäude [BWV 56/5]

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