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Cantata BWV 99
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [II]
English Translation in Parallel Format
Cantata BWV 99 - What God does, that is done well

Event: Chorale Cantata for the 15th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: Galatians 5: 25 - 6: 10; Gospel: Matthew 6: 23-34
Text: Samuel Rodigast (Mvts. 1, 6); Anon (Mvts. 2-5)
Chorale Text: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

 

Original German Text

 

English Translation

1

Coro

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

 

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

 

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
Es bleibt gerecht sein Wille;
Wie er fängt meine Sachen an,
Will ich ihm halten stille.
Er ist mein Gott,
Der in der Not
Mich wohl weiß zu erhalten;
Drum lass ich ihn nur walten.

 

What God does, that is done well,
his will remains just.
However he deals with my affairs,
I want calmly to place my whole trust in him.
He is my God,
who in my troubles
knows well how to support me;
therefore I yield power to him alone.

       

2

Recitativo B

2

Recitative [Bass]

 

Continuo

   
 

Sein Wort der Wahrheit stehet fest
Und wird mich nicht betrügen,
Weil es die Gläubigen nicht fallen noch verderben lässt.
Ja, weil es mich den Weg zum Leben führet,
So fasst mein Herze sich und lässet sich begnügen
An Gottes Vatertreu und Huld
Und hat Geduld,
Wenn mich ein Unfall rühret.
Gott kann mit seinen Allmachtshänden
Mein Unglück wenden.

 

His word of truth stands firm
and will not deceive me,
since it allows the faithful neither to fall nor to perish.
Yes, since it leads me on the way to life,
my heart is calmed and finds contentment
in God's paternal faithfulness and favour
and has patience
when an accident disturbs me.
God can with his almighty hands
change my misfortune.

       

3

Aria T

3

Aria [Tenor]

 

Flauto traverso, Continuo

   
 

Erschüttre dich nur nicht, verzagte Seele,
Wenn dir der Kreuzeskelch so bitter schmeckt!
Gott ist dein weiser Arzt und Wundermann,
So dir kein tödlich Gift einschenken kann,
Obgleich die Süßigkeit verborgen steckt.

 

Do not be shaken, despondent soul,
if the chalice of the cross tastes so bitter to you!
God is your wise doctor and miracle-worker,
so he can pour out for you no deadly poison,
even though the sweetness lies hidden.

       

4

Recitativo A

4

Recitative [Alto]

 

Continuo

   
 

Nun, der von Ewigkeit geschloss'ne Bund
Bleibt meines Glaubens Grund.
Er spricht mit Zuversicht
Im Tod und Leben:
Gott ist mein Licht,
Ihm will ich mich ergeben.
Und haben alle Tage
Gleich ihre eigne Plage,
Doch auf das überstandne Leid,
Wenn man genug geweinet,
Kommt endlich die Errettungszeit,
Da Gottes treuer Sinn erscheinet.

 

Now the covenant that was drawn up from eternity
remains the basis of my faith.
It says with confidence
in death and life:
God is my light,
to him I want to surrender myself.
And all days have
their own particular trial,
but after the suffering has been endured,
when you have wept enough,
there comes in the end the day of deliverance,
when God's faithful intention appears clearly.

       

5

Aria (Duetto) S A

5

Aria (Duet) [Soprano, Alto]

 

Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Continuo

   
 

Wenn des Kreuzes Bitterkeiten
Mit des Fleisches Schwachheit streiten,
Ist es dennoch wohlgetan.
Wer das Kreuz durch falschen Wahn
Sich vor unerträglich schätzet,
Wird auch künftig nicht ergötzet.

 

When the bitterness of the cross
struggles with the weakness of the flesh,
it is nevertheless done well.
That person who through ignorant delusion estimates
that the cross cannot be borne

will in the future have no enjoyment.

       

6

Choral

6

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Flauto traverso in octava e Oboe d'amore e Corno e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

 

Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
Dabei will ich verbleiben.
Es mag mich auf die rauhe Bahn
Not, Tod und Elend treiben,
So wird Gott mich
Ganz väterlich
In seinen Armen halten;
Drum lass ich ihn nur walten.

 

What God does, that is done well:
with this belief I want to stay firmly in agreement.
I may be driven on the rough road
by distress, death and misery,
but then God will
just like a father
hold me in his arms;
therefore I yield power to him alone.

       

This Translation in Interlinear Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (August 2002)

Contributed by Francis Browne (August 2002)

Cantata BWV 99: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [II] for 15th Sunday after Trinity (1724)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements | Bach-W. Walton: The Wise Virgins, suite from the ballet (arranged music of J.S. Bach)
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

BWV 99 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-10 | English-13 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-3 | Dutch-6 | French-1 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-2 | Japanese-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-5 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan [BWV 99/1,~2-5,6]

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




 

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Last update: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:27