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Cantata BWV 73
Herr, wie du willt, so schick's mit mir
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 73 - Lord, as you will, deal with me

Event: 3rd Sunday after Epiphany
Readings: Epistle: Romans 12: 17-21; Gospel: Matthew 8: 1-13
Text: Kaspar Bienemann (Mvt. 1); Ludwig Helmbold (Mvt. 5); Anon (Mvts. 2-4)
Chorale Texts: Herr, wie du willst, so schick's mit mir | Von Gott will ich nicht lassen

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro e Recitativo S T B

1

Chorus and Recitative [Tenor, Bass, Soprano]

 

Organo obligato, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Chor:
Herr, wie du willt, so schick's mit mir
Im Leben und im Sterben!

 

Chorus:
Lord, as you will, deal with me
in living and dying!

 

Tenor:
Ach! aber ach! wieviel
Läßt mich dein Wille leiden!
Mein Leben ist des Unglücks Ziel,
Da Jammer und Verdruss
Mich lebend foltern muss,
Und kaum will meine Not im Sterben von mir scheiden.

 

Tenor:
But alas, alas! How often
does your will allow me to suffer!
My life is the target of misfortune,
since misery and frustration
must torture me while I live
amd my distress will scarely leave me in death.

 

Chor:
Allein zu dir steht mein Begier,
Herr, lass mich nicht verderben!

 

Chorus:
My longing is for you alone,
Lord, do not let me perish!

 

Bass:
Du bist mein Helfer, Trost und Hort,
So der Betrübten Tränen zählet
Und ihre Zuversicht,
Das schwache Rohr, nicht gar zerbricht; Und weil du mich erwählet,
So sprich ein Trost- und Freudenwort!

 

Bass:
You are my shelter, comfort and refuge,
you who count the tears of those in distress
and their confidence
-the weak reed- you do not break; and since you choose me,
speak then a word of comfort and joy !

 

Chor:
Erhalt mich nur in deiner Huld,
Sonst wie du willt, gib mir Geduld,
Denn dein Will ist der beste.

 

Chorus:
Preserve me only in your grace,
But whatever you will, give me patience,
since what you will is best.

 

Sopran:
Dein Wille zwar ist ein versiegelt Buch,
Da Menschenweisheit nichts vernimmt;
Der Segen scheint uns oft ein Fluch,
Die Züchtigung ergrimmte Strafe,
Die Ruhe, so du in dem Todesschlafe
Uns einst bestimmt,
Ein Eingang zu der Hölle.
Doch macht dein Geist uns dieses Irrtums frei
und zeigt, dass uns dein Wille heilsam sei.

 

Soprano:
Your will is truly a sealed book,
where mankind understands nothing
What is a blessing often appears to us to be a curse,
chastisement [appears to be]angry punishment,
the rest, which in death's sleep
you once intended for us,
[appears to be] an entrance into hell.
But your spirit makes us free of error
and shows that your will for us is salutary.

 

Chor:
Herr, wie du willt!

 

Chorus:
Lord, as you will!

       

2

Aria T

2

Aria ]Tenor]

 

Oboe I, Continuo

   
 

Ach senke doch den Geist der Freuden
Dem Herzen ein!
Es will oft bei mir geistlich Kranken
Die Freudigkeit und Hoffnung wanken
Und zaghaft sein.

 

Ah plant then the spirit of joy
within my heart!
Through my spiritual weakness
joy and hope are often shaken
and are timid.

       

3

Recitativo B

3

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Ach, unser Wille bleibt verkehrt,
Bald trotzig, bald verzagt,
Des Sterbens will er nie gedenken;
Allein ein Christ, in Gottes Geist gelehrt,
Lernt sich in Gottes Willen senken
Und sagt:

 

Alas, our will remains corrupted,
now defiant, now disheartened.
It is never willing to think of dying;
Only a Christian, taught by God's spirit,
learns how to sink himself in God's will
and say:

       

4

Aria B

4

Aria [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Herr, so du willt,
So presst, ihr Todesschmerzen,
Die Seufzer aus dem Herzen,
Wenn mein Gebet nur vor dir gilt.

 

Lord , as you will,
you pains of death, squeeze out
sighs from my heart,
if only my prayer is heard by you ,[Lord].

 

Herr, so du willt,
So lege meine Glieder
In Staub und Asche nieder,
Dies höchst verderbte Sündenbild,

 

Lord , as you will,
lay my limbs
down in dust and ashes,
this totally corrupted image of sin,

 

Herr, so du willt,
So schlagt, ihr Leichenglocken,
Ich folge unerschrocken,
Mein Jammer ist nunmehr gestillt.

 

Lord , as you will,
sound, you funeral bells,
I follow undismayed,
my lamentation is forever stilled.

       

5

Choral

5

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Das ist des Vaters Wille,
Der uns erschaffen hat;
Sein Sohn hat Guts die Fülle
Erworben und Genad;
Auch Gott der Heilge Geist
Im Glauben uns regieret,
Zum Reich des Himmels führet.
Ihm sei Lob Ehr und Preis!

 

This is the Father's will
who has created us;
His Son has acquired abundance
of good and mercy;
also God the Holy spirit
rules us in faith,
leads us to the kingdom of heaven.
To him be praise, honour and glory!

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (March 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (March 2002)

Cantata BWV 73: Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir for 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 73 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 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-6 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Texts: Herr, wie du willst, so schick's mit mir [BWV 73/1] | Von Gott will ich nicht lassen [BWV 73/5]

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 14:26