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Cantata BWV 106
Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Actus Tragicus)
English Translation in Interlinear Format
Cantata BWV 106 - God's time is the very best time |
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Event: Funeral Service
Text: Acts 17: 28 (Mvt. 2a); Psalm 90: 12 (Mvt. 2b); Isaiah 38: 1 (Mvt. 2c); Luke 23: 43 & Martin Luther (Mvt. 3b); Adam Reusner (Mvt. 4); Johann Leon (Mvt. 6)
Chorale Texts: Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt | In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr | Mit Fried und Freud |
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Biblical quotations are in green font, chorale quotations in purple font |
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1 |
Sonatina |
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Flauto I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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2a |
Chorus [S, A, T, B] |
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Flauto I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit.
God's time is the very best time.
In ihm leben, weben und sind wir, solange er will. (Acts 17:28)
In him we live , move and are, so long as he wills.
In ihm sterben wir zur rechten Zeit, wenn er will.
In him we die at the right time, when he wills. |
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2b |
Arioso [Tenor] |
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Flauto I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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Ach, Herr, lehre uns bedenken, (Psalm 90:12)
Ah Lord, teach us to think
daß wir sterben müssen,
that we must die
auf daß wir klug werden.
so that we become wise. |
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2c |
Aria [Bass] |
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Flauto I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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Bestelle dein Haus; (Isaiah 38:1)
Put your house in order
denn du wirst sterben
for you will die
und nicht lebendig bleiben.
and not remain living. |
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2d |
Chorus |
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Flauto I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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Es ist der alte Bund :
It is the old covenant:
Mensch, du mußt sterben!
Man, you must die! |
Soprano:
Ja, komm, Herr Jesu, komm!
Yes, come, lord Jesus. come !
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(Ecclesiasticus 14:17) |
(Revelations 22:20) |
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3a |
Aria [Alto] |
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Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo
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In deine Hände befehl ich meinen Geist;
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
du hast mich erlöset, Herr, du getreuer Gott. (Psalm 31:6)
you have redeemed me, Lord, you faithful God. |
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3b |
3b. Arioso [Bass] and Chorale [Alto] |
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Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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Heute wirst du mit mir im Paradies sein.
Today you will be with me in paradise.
(Luke 23:43) |
Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin
With peace and joy I travel there
In Gottes Willen,
in God's will,
Getrost ist mir mein Herz und Sinn,
my heart and mind are confident,
Sanft und stille.
peaceful and calm.
Wie Gott mir verheißen hat:
As God has promised me:
Der Tod ist mein Schlaf geworden.
death has become my sleep |
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4 |
Chorus [S, A, T, B] |
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Flauto I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Continuo |
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Glorie, Lob, Ehr und Herrlichkeit
Glory, praise, honour and majesty
Sei dir, Gott Vater und Sohn bereit,
be given to you God father and son,
Dem heilgen Geist mit Namen!
to the holy spirit by name!
Die göttlich Kraft
God's strength
Mach uns sieghaft
make us victorious
Durch Jesum Christum, Amen.
through Jesus Christ. Amen. |
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Notes on the text |
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The text is an anonymous compilation of Bible verses and chorale strophes.Clearly the work was intended for a funeral. Bach’s Erfuhrt uncle Tobias Lämmerhirt , who died on 10 August 1707, is one of several persons with whom the work has been connected but all such identifications remain speculative. The title ‘Actus tragicus’ comes from the earliest manuscript, which was written by an unidentified copyist and dated Leipzig 1768.
The quotation from Acts in the opening chorus is taken from Paul’s speech before the Council of the Areopagus.Psalm 90, used in 2b arioso tenor, is a meditatation on God’s power and man’s weakness and mortality. In the bass aria 2c the message that the prophet Isaiah brought to King Hezekiah about his imminent death is applied to all humanity. The second chorus 2d juxtaposes a verse from the deuterocanonical book Ecclesiasticus with the penultimate verse of the New Testament. The alto aria 3a quotes a verse from Psalm 35 which, according to Luke, Jesus used as his last words as he was dying on the cross. In 3b the bass arioso also uses some of Christ’s words on the cross : his assurance of salvation to the repentant thief who was crucified with him. This movement also uses Martin Luther’s chorale Mit Fried und Freud (1524) a paraphrase of the prayer traditionally known as Nunc dimittis, the words of Simeon in Luke2:29. The concluding chorus uses the seventh strophe of Adam Reusner’s chorale In dich hab ich gehoffet. (1533)
It is worth noting that another chorale is used in 2d. The melody of Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt (Johann Leon 1582/1589) is used in the instrumental accompaniment. Dürr points out how the text of this cantata in a number of places echoes the themes of the 18 strophes of this chorale. (Bach: Die Kantaten,p837).
Texts and translations of the chorales, see:
Mit Fried und Freud, by Martin Luther (Mvt. 3)
In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr, by Adam Reusner (Mvt. 4)
Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt, by Johann Leon (Mvt. 6) |
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Printable version of this translation |
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This Translation in Parallel Format |
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English Translation by Francis Browne (March 2002, revised January 2005)
Contributed by Francis Browne (March 2002, January 2005) |
