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Cantata BWV 7
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 7 - Christ our Lord came to the Jordan

Event: Feast of Nativity of St John the Baptist
Readings: Epistle: Isaah 40: 1-5; Gospel: Luke 1: 57-80
Text: Martin Luther (Mvts. 1, 7); Anon (Mvts. 2-6)
Chorale Text: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam
Nach seines Vaters Willen,
Von Sankt Johanns die Taufe nahm,
Sein Werk und Amt zu erfüllen;
Da wollt er stiften uns ein Bad,
Zu waschen uns von Sünden,
Ersäufen auch den bittern Tod
Durch sein selbst Blut und Wunden;
Es galt ein neues Leben.

 

Christ our Lord came to the Jordan
in accordance with his Father’s will,
received baptism from Saint John
to fulfil his work and ministry;
by this he wanted to establish for us a bath
to wash us from our sins,
and also to drown bitter death
through his own blood and wounds;
this meant a new life.

       

2

Aria B

2

Aria [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Merkt und hört, ihr Menschenkinder,
Was Gott selbst die Taufe heißt.
Es muss zwar hier Wasser sein,
Doch schlecht Wasser nicht allein.
Gottes Wort und Gottes Geist
Tauft und reiniget die Sünder.

 

Mark and hear, children of mankind,
what God himself calls baptism.

There must indeed be water here
but not only mere water.
God’s word and God’s spirit
baptises and purifies sinners.

       

3

Recitativo T

3

Recitative [Tenor]

 

Continuo

   
 

Dies hat Gott klar
Mit Worten und mit Bildern dargetan,
Am Jordan ließ der Vater offenbar
Die Stimme bei der Taufe Christi hören;
Er sprach: Dies ist mein lieber Sohn,
An diesem hab ich Wohlgefallen,
Er ist vom hohen Himmelsthron
Der Welt zugut
In niedriger Gestalt gekommen
Und hat das Fleisch und Blut
Der Menschenkinder angenommen;
Den nehmet nun als euren Heiland an
Und höret seine teuren Lehren!

 

This God has clearly
demonstrated with words and images,
at the Jordan the Father openly
made his voice heard at Christ’s baptism;
he said: This is my beloved son
in whom I am well pleased.
From the high throne of heaven
for the world’s sake
he has come in lowly form
and has taken on the flesh and blood
of the children of mankind;
now take him as your saviour
and listen to his precious teaching!

       

4

Aria T

4

Aria [Tenor]

 

Violino concertante I/II, Continuo

   
 

Des Vaters Stimme ließ sich hören,
Der Sohn, der uns mit Blut erkauft,
Ward als ein wahrer Mensch getauft.
Der Geist erschien im Bild der Tauben,
Damit wir ohne Zweifel glauben,
Es habe die Dreifaltigkeit
Uns selbst die Taufe zubereit'.

 

The Father’s voice makes itself heard,
the Son, who has bought us with his blood,
was baptised as a true man.
The Spirit appeared in the image of the dove
so that we may believe without doubt
the Trinity itself has
prepared baptism for us.

       

5

Recitativo B

5

Recitative [Bass]

 

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

   
 

Als Jesus dort nach seinen Leiden
Und nach dem Auferstehn
Aus dieser Welt zum Vater wollte gehn,
Sprach er zu seinen Jüngern:
Geht hin in alle Welt und lehret alle Heiden,
Wer glaubet und getaufet wird auf Erden,
Der soll gerecht und selig werden.

 

As Jesus there after his suffering
and after his resurrection
from this world was about to go to his Father,
he said to his disciples:
go out to all the world and teach all the Gentiles,
whoever believes and is baptised on earth
will be justified and blessed.

       

6

Aria A

6

Aria [Alto]

 

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

   
 

Menschen, glaubt doch dieser Gnade,
Dass ihr nicht in Sünden sterbt,
Noch im Höllenpfuhl verderbt!
Menschenwerk und -heiligkeit
Gilt vor Gott zu keiner Zeit.
Sünden sind uns angeboren,
Wir sind von Natur verloren;
Glaub und Taufe macht sie rein,
Dass sie nicht verdammlich sein.

 

People, believe then this mercy,
so that you do not die in your sins,
nor perish in the pit of hell!
Human deeds and holiness
never count for anything before God.
We are born in sin,
by nature we are lost;
faith and baptism make us pure
so that we do not meet with damnation.

       

7

Choral

7

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Oboe d'amore I/II e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

 

Das Aug allein das Wasser sieht,
Wie Menschen Wasser gießen,
Der Glaub allein die Kraft versteht
Des Blutes Jesu Christi,
Und ist für ihm ein rote Flut
Von Christi Blut gefärbet,
Die allen Schaden heilet gut
Von Adam her geerbet,
Auch von uns selbst begangen.

 

The eye sees only water
as men pour water,
only faith understands the power
of the blood of Jesus Christ,
and for faith it is a red stream
coloured by the blood of Christ
which heals well all the injuries
we inherited from Adam
and also those we have brought upon ourselves.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (May 2006)

Contributed by Francis Browne (August 2009)

Cantata BWV 7: Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam for Feast of Nativity of St John the Baptist (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 7 Text: German-1 | German-2 | German-6 | German-7 | NBS Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-13 | English-14
Arabic-1 | Catalan-1 | Chinese-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-2 | Dutch-6 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Polish-2 | Portuguese-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam [BWV 7/1,7]

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