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Bach Cantata Translations

BWV 186a - "Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht"

Cantata for the Third Sunday in Advent

Erster Teil

1. Chor

Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht,
Daß das allerhöchste Licht,
Gottes Glanz und Ebenbild,
Sich in Knechtsgestalt verhüllt,
Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht!

Part One

1. Chorus

Do not be confounded, o soul,
because the all-highest light,
God's radiance and very image,
is concealed in the form of a servant;
do not be confounded!

2. Arie B
Bist du, der da kommen soll,
Seelenfreund im Kirchengarten?
Mein Gemüt ist zweifelsvoll,
Soll ich eines andern warten?
Doch, o Seele, zweifle nicht.
Laß Vernunft dich nicht bestricken.
Deinen Schilo, Jakobs Licht,
Kannst du in der Schrift erblicken!

2. Aria B
Are You he, that will come,
friend of the soul in the church’s garden?
My spirit is full of doubt,
should I await another?
yet, o soul, do not doubt,
do not let reason beguile you.
Your Shilo, Jacob's light,
is visible to you in the scripture.

3. Arie T
Messias lässt sich merken
Aus seinen Gnadenwerken,
Unreine werden rein.
Die geistlich Lahmen gehen,
Die geistlich Blinden sehen
Den hellen Gnadenschein.

3. Aria T
Messiah lets himself be seen
in his works of grace,
Impurities become pure.
The spiritually lame walk,
the spiritually blind see
the brilliant light of grace.

4. Arie S
Die Armen will der Herr umarmen
Mit Gnaden hier und dort!
Er schenket ihnen aus Erbarmen
Den höchsten Schatz, des Lebens Wort!

4. Aria S
The Lord will embrace the poor
with mercy here and there;
he sends them, out of compassion,
the highest treasure, the Word of Life.

5. Arie (Duett) S A
Laß, Seele, kein Leiden
Von Jesu dich scheiden,
Sei, Seele, getreu!
Dir bleibet die Krone
Aus Gnaden zu Lohne,
Wenn du von Banden des Leibes nun frei.

5. Aria (Duet) S A
Soul, let no sorrow
separate you from Jesus,
soul, be faithful!
The crown remains
your reward through faith,
when you are freed from the bonds of the body.

6. Choral
Darum, ob ich schon dulde
hie Widerwärtigkeit,
wie ichs auch wohl verschulde,
kömmt doch die Ewigkeit,
ist aller Freuden voll;
dieselb ohn einigs Ende,
dieweil ich Christum kenne,
mir widerfahren soll.
("Von Gott will ich nicht lassen," verse 8)

6. Chorale
Therefore, although I might suffer
adversity here,
that I also have indeed deserved,
yet eternity will come,
which is full of all joy;
this same, without any end,
as long as I know Christ,
will occur for me.

Salomo Franck; "Von Gott will ich nicht lassen," verse 8: Ludwig Helmbold 1563 (mov't. 6)

©Pamela Dellal


Emmanuel Music is the Ensemble-in-Residence at Emmanuel Church
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