Recitative. Ah, should not this dire day | Ah, should not this dire day

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall

Recitativo. Ach, soll nicht dieser große...

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ach, soll nicht dieser große Tag,
Der Welt Verfall
Und der Posaunen Schall,
Der unerhörte letzte Schlag,
Des Richters ausgesprochne Worte,
Des Höllenrachens offne Pforte
In meinem Sinn
Viel Zweifel, Furcht und Schrecken,
Der ich ein Kind der Sünden bin,
Erwecken?
Jedoch, es gehet meiner Seelen
Ein Freudenschein, ein Licht des Trostes auf.
Der Heiland kann sein Herze nicht verhehlen,
So vor Erbarmen bricht,
Sein Gnadenarm verlässt mich nicht.
Wohlan, so ende ich mit Freuden meinen Lauf.

Text Authorship:

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750), "Recitativo. Ach, soll nicht dieser große Tag,", BWV 70 no. 9 (1723) [ bass and instrumental ensemble ], from cantata Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!, no. 9 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , "Recitative. Ah, should not this dire day", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2020-01-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 77

Recitative. Ah, should not this dire day

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Ah, should not this dire day -
The wiping away of the world
And the call of the trumpets,
The unthinkable final stroke,
The words of the judge’s pronouncement,
The open jaws of Hell’s portal,
Awaken within my mind
Many doubts, fears and horrors,
For me, because I am
A child of sin?
And yet, rising up before my soul
Is a glimmer of joy, a comforting light.
The Savior cannot conceal his heart,
Which overflows with such mercy,
His compassionate arm will not forsake me.
Therefore, I end my journey with joy.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Michael P Rosewall, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2023-08-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 92