Cantata BWV 100
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [III]
English Translation in Interlinear Format
Cantata BWV 100 - What God does, that is done well

Event: Chorale Cantata for the 15^th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: Galatians 5: 25 - 6: 10; Gospel: Matthew 6: 23-34
Text: Samuel Rodigast
Chorale Text: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

Corno I/II, Timpani, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
What God does, that is done well,
Es bleibt gerecht sein Wille;
His will remains just.
Wie er fängt meine Sachen an,
However he deals with my affairs,
Will ich ihm halten stille.
I want calmly to place my whole trust in him.
Er ist mein Gott,
He is my God
Der in der Not
who in my troubles
Mich wohl weiß zu erhalten;
knows well how to support me;
Drum laß ich ihn nur walten.
therefore I let him alone rule over me.

2

Aria (Duet) [Alto, Tenor]

Continuo

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
What God does, that is done well,
Er wird mich nicht betrügen;
he will not deceive me;
Er führet mich auf rechter Bahn,
he leads me along the right way,
So lass ich mich begnügen
so I live content
An seiner Huld
with his favour
Und hab Geduld,
and have patience
Er wird mein Unglück wenden,
he will turn aside my misfortune,
Es steht in seinen Händen.
for he has the power to do so.

3

Aria [Soprano]

Flauto traverso solo, Continuo

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
What God does, that is well done,
Er wird mich wohl bedenken;
he will take good care of me;
Er, als mein Arzt und Wundermann,
he, as my physician and miracle-worker,
Wird mir nicht Gift einschenken
will not give me poison
Vor Arzenei.
instead of medicine.
Gott ist getreu,
God is faithful,
Drum will ich auf ihn bauen
therefore I want to rely on him
Und seiner Gnade trauen.
and trust his grace.

4

Aria [Bass]

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
What God does, that is done well,
Er ist mein Licht, mein Leben,
he is my light, my life,
Der mir nichts Böses gönnen kann,
who can have no ill will towards me,
Ich will mich ihm ergeben
I want to entrust myself to him
In Freud und Leid!
in joy and sorrow!
Es kommt die Zeit,
The time will come
Da öffentlich erscheinet,
when it will be clearly apparent
Wie treulich er es meinet.
how faithful his intention is.

5

Aria [Alto]

Oboe d'amore, Violoncello, Violone, Continuo

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
What God does, that is done well.
Muß ich den Kelch gleich schmecken,
If I have to taste the chalice
Der bitter ist nach meinem Wahn,
that I foolishly imagine is bitter,
Laß ich mich doch nicht schrecken,
I shall not let myself be frightened,
Weil doch zuletzt
since in the end
Ich werd ergötzt
I shall feel delight
Mit süßem Trost im Herzen;
and sweet consolation in my heart;
Da weichen alle Schmerzen.
then all sorrows will vanish.

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

Corno I/II, Timpani, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
What God does, that is done well:
Dabei will ich verbleiben.
with this belief I want to stay firmly in agreement.
Es mag mich auf die rauhe Bahn
I may be driven on the rough road
Not, Tod und Elend treiben,
by distress, death and misery,
So wird Gott mich
but then God will
Ganz väterlich
just like a father
In seinen Armen halten;
hold me in his arms;
Drum laß ich ihn nur walten.
therefore I let him alone rule over me.

Note on the text

Bach wrote three cantatas (BWV 98, BWV 99, BWV 100) with the title Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan. All are linked, in vary­ing degrees, to the hymn beginning with the same words by the 17^th-century writer Samuel Rodigast. BWV 100 is the last of them, and the one most closely related to Rodigast's text. It belongs to a small group of cantatas (the others being BWV 97, BWV 117, and BWV 192) written during the late 1720s and early 1730s in which the hymn text is retained throughout, unaltered per omnes versus. Some­times, as in BWV 97 and BWV 117, Bach adheres to the alternating pattern of recitative and aria within a choral framework. In the present work, however, recita­tive is entirely dispensed with in favour of arias and chorale movements.

(information from The Oxford Composer Companion: J.S.Bach)

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This Translation in Parallel Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (August 2003)
Contributed by Francis Browne (August 2003)

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