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Cantata BWV 58
Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [II]
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 58 - Ah God, how many a heartache (II)
Dialogue

Event: Sunday after New Year [2nd Sunday after Christmas Day]
Readings: Epistle: 1 Peter 4: 12-19; Gospel: Matthew 2: 13-23
Text: Martin Moller (Mvt. 1); Martin Behm (Mvt. 5); Anon (Mvts. 2-4)
Chorale Texts: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid | O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Choral e Aria S B

1

Chorale and Aria [Soprano, Bass]

 

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

   
 

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

 

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

 

Bass:
Nur Geduld, Geduld, mein Herze,
Es ist eine böse Zeit!
Doch der Gang zur Seligkeit
Führt zur Freude nach dem Schmerze.

 

Bass:
Only patience, only patience,my heart,
This is an evil time!
But the way to blessedness
leads to joy after sorrow.

       

2

Recitativo B

2

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Verfolgt dich gleich die arge Welt,
So hast du dennoch Gott zum Freunde,
Der wider deine Feinde
Dir stets den Rücken hält.
Und wenn der wütende Herodes
Das Urteil eines schmähen Todes
Gleich über unsern Heiland fällt,
So kommt ein Engel in der Nacht,
Der lässet Joseph träumen,
Dass er dem Würger soll entfliehen
Und nach Ägypten ziehen.
Gott hat ein Wort, das dich vertrauend macht.
Er spricht: Wenn Berg und Hügel niedersinken,
Wenn dich die Flut des Wassers will ertrinken,
So will ich dich doch nicht verlassen noch versäumen.

 

If the evil world at once persecutes you,
then you still have God as your friend,
who against your enemy
always guards your back.
And when Herod in his rage
decrees the judgement of shameful death
on our saviour
then there comes an angel in the night,
who causes Joseph to dream
so that he may flee from the executioner
and travel to Egypt.
God has a word that makes you full of confidence.
He speaks: though mountain and hill fall down,
though the flood of water wants to drown you,
it is not my will to abandon or forsake you.

       

3

Aria S

3

Aria [Soprano]

 

Violino solo, Continuo

   
 

Ich bin vergnügt in meinem Leiden,
Denn Gott ist meine Zuversicht.
Ich habe sichern Brief und Siegel,
Und dieses ist der feste Riegel,
Den bricht die Hölle selber nicht.

 

I am happy in my sufferings,
since God is my reassurance.
I have a sure letter and seal
and this is the strong bolt
that hell itself does not break.

       

4

Recitativo S

4

Recitative [Soprano]

 

Continuo

   
 

Kann es die Welt nicht lassen,
Mich zu verfolgen und zu hassen,
So weist mir Gottes Hand
Ein andres Land.
Ach! könnt es heute noch geschehen,
Dass ich mein Eden möchte sehen!

 

Even though the world does not cease
to persecute and hate me,
yet God's hand shows to me
another land,
Ah! if only it could happen today
that I might see my Eden!

       

5

Choral e Aria S B

5

Chorale and Aria [Soprano, Bass]

 

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

   
 

Sopran:
Ich hab für mir ein schwere Reis
Zu dir ins Himmels Paradeis,
Da ist mein rechtes Vaterland,
Daran du dein Blut hast gewandt.

 

Soprano:
I have before me a difficult journey
to you in heaven's paradise,
which is my true fatherland,
for which you have shed your blood.

 

Bass:
Nur getrost, getrost, ihr Herzen,
Hier ist Angst, dort Herrlichkeit!
Und die Freude jener Zeit
Überwieget alle Schmerzen.

 

Bass:
Be comforted, be comforted, you hearts,
Here is anxiety, there glory!
and the joy of that time
outweighs all sorrows.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (March 2003)

Contributed by Francis Browne (March 2003)

Cantata BWV 58: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [II] for Sunday after New Year (1727)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

BWV 58 Text: German-1 | German-2 | German-6 (1) | German-6 (2) | German-7 (1) | German-7 (2) | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-5 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Portuguese-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Texts: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [BWV 58/1] | O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht [BWV 58/5]

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