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 69
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 69 - Praise the Lord, my soul

Event: Cantata for the Town Council Inauguration
Text: Psalm 103: 2 (Mvt. 1); Martin Luther (Mvt. 6); Anon (Mvts. 2-5) [probably Christian Weiss, Sr., according to Young]
Chorale Text: Es woll uns Gott genädig sein

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

Tromba I-III, Timpani, Oboe I-III, Fagotto, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

 

Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele,
und vergiss nicht, was er dir Gutes getan hat!

 

Praise the Lord, my soul,
and do not forget what good he has done for you!

       

2

Recitativo S

2

Recitative [Soprano]

 

Fagotto e Continuo

   
 

Wie groß ist Gottes Güte doch!
Er bracht uns an das Licht,
Und er erhält uns noch.
Wo findet man nur eine Kreatur,
Der es an Unterhalt gebricht?
Betrachte doch, mein Geist,
Der Allmacht unverdeckte Spur,
Die auch im kleinen sich recht groß erweist.
Ach! möcht es mir, o Höchster, doch gelingen,
Ein würdig Danklied dir zu bringen!
Doch, sollt es mir hierbei an Kräften fehlen,
So will ich doch, Herr, deinen Ruhm erzählen.

 

How great then is God's goodness!
He brought us to the light,
and he still upholds us.
Where is found a single creature
who lacks support?
Consider then, my spirit,
the trace of the Almighty that has not been hidden
which proves he is truly great even in the smallest thing.
Ah1 might it be possible, o Highest God, for me to succeed
in bringing to you a worthy song of thanks!
Yet even if I should lack strength for this purpose,
I still want to tell of your glory.

       

3

Aria A

3

Aria [Alto]

 

Oboe, Violino I, Continuo

   
 

Meine Seele,
Auf! erzähle,
Was dir Gott erwiesen hat!
Rühme seine Wundertat,
Laß, dem Höchsten zu gefallen,
Ihm ein frohes Danklied schallen!

 

My soul,
get up! tell

what God has shown to you!
Praise his wonderful work,
to please the Highest
let a joyful song of thanks to him resound!

       

4

Recitativo T

4

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Der Herr hat große Ding an uns getan.
Denn er versorget und erhält,
Beschützet und regiert die Welt.
Er tut mehr, als man sagen kann.
Jedoch, nur eines zu gedenken:
Was könnt uns Gott wohl Bessres schenken,
Als dass er unsrer Obrigkeit
Den Geist der Weisheit gibet,
Die denn zu jeder Zeit
Das Böse straft, das Gute liebet?
Ja, die bei Tag und Nacht
Vor unsre Wohlfahrt wacht?
Laßt uns dafür den Höchsten preisen;
Auf! ruft ihn an,
Dass er sich auch noch fernerhin so gnädig woll erweisen
Was unserm Lande schaden kann,
Wirst du, o Höchster, von uns wenden
Und uns erwünschte Hilfe senden.
Ja, ja, du wirst in Kreuz und Nöten
Uns züchtigen, jedoch nicht töten.

 

The Lord has done great things with us.
For he looks after and upholds,
protects and rules the world.
He does more than can be said.
Yet consider just one thing :
what better gift could he bestow on us
than that to our governors he
should give the spirit of wisdom,
who then at all times
punish evil, love good ?
Yes, who by day and night
keep watch over our welfare?
For this reason let us praise the Highest:
Get up! call to him
so that still also in the future he may be willing to show such mercy to us.
What can harm our land,
you will, o Highest, turn away from us
and send to us the help for which we long.
Yes indeed, in suffering and distress you will
punish, but not kill us.

       

5

Aria B

5

Aria [Bass]

 

Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Fagotto, Continuo

   
 

Mein Erlöser und Erhalter,
Nimm mich stets in Hut und Wacht!
Steh mir bei in Kreuz und Leiden,
Alsdenn singt mein Mund mit Freuden:
Gott hat alles wohlgemacht.

 

My redeemer and preserver,
keep me always in your care and protection!
Stand by me in suffering and sorrow,
then my mouth sings with joy:
God has done all things well.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe I-III e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Tromba I-III, Timpani, Fagotto, Continuo

 

Es danke, Gott, und lobe dich
Das Volk in guten Taten.
Das Land bringt Frucht und bessert sich,
Dein Wort ist wohl geraten.
Uns segne Vater und der Sohn,
Uns segne Gott, der Heilge Geist,
Dem alle Welt die Ehre tut,
Für ihm sich fürchten allermeist,
Und sprecht von Herzen: Amen!

 

May the people thank and praise you,
God, in their good deeds.

The land bears fruit and is enriched,
your word is well considered.
May the Father and the Son bless us,
May God the Holy spirit bless us,
to whom all the world does honour,
to fear him the most,
and say from the heart : Amen!

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (July 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (July 2002)

Cantata BWV 69: Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele for Town Council Inauguration (1748)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movemnts
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 69 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1: | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Es woll uns Gott genädig sein [BWV 69/6]

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 14:26