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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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by Christian Fürchtegott Gellert (1715 - 1769)
Translation © by Lau Kanen

Bitten
 (Sung text for setting by C. Bach)
 See base text
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Gott, deine Güte reicht so weit,
So weit die Wolken gehen,
Du krönst uns mit Barmherzigkeit
Und eilst, uns beizustehen.
Herr! Meine Burg, mein Fels, mein Hort,
Vernimm mein Flehn, merk auf mein Wort;
Denn ich will vor dir beten!

Ich bitte nicht um Überfluß
Und Schätze dieser Erden.
Laß mir, so viel ich haben muß,
Nach deiner Gnade werden.
Gib mir nur Weisheit und Verstand,
Dich, Gott, und den, den du gesandt,
Und mich selbst zu erkennen.

 ... 

So bitt ich dich, Herr Zebaoth,
Auch nicht um langes Leben.
Im Glücke Demut, Mut in Not,
Das wolltest du mir geben.
In deiner Hand steht meine Zeit;
Laß du mich nur Barmherzigkeit
Vor dir im Tode finden.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 - 1788), "Bitten", Wq 194 no. 9 (1758), stanzas 1-2,4 [ voice and harpsichord or piano ], from Geistliche Oden und Lieder mit Melodien: Gellert Oden, no. 9

Text Authorship:

  • by Christian Fürchtegott Gellert (1715 - 1769)

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Jordi López Jové) , "Súplica", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Smeekbede", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Plea", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Angelika Frenzel) , "Prière", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Preghiera", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Vinzenz Haab

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 152

Smeekbede
 (Sung text translation for setting by C. Bach)
 See original
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)  after the German (Deutsch) 
God, Heer, uw goedheid reikt zo wijd,
Zo ver de wolken drijven,
Gij kroont ons met barmhartigheid,
Helpt overeind ons blijven.
Heer! Gij mijn burcht, mijn rots, mijn oord,
Verneem mijn roep, aanhoor mijn woord,
Want ik wil tot u bidden.

Ik smeek u niet om overvloed
En schatten hier op aarde.
Laat mij, zoveel ik hebben moet,
Verkrijgen naar uw waarde.
Geef mij slechts wijsheid en verstand,
Om u, God, en ook uw gezant,
En mijzelf goed te kennen.

 ... 

Zo vraag ‘k u niet, o Heerser groot,
Om lang te mogen leven.
Geluk en deemoed, moed in nood,
Wil dat wel aan mij geven.
Want in uw hand toch staat mijn tijd;
Laat mij alleen barmhartigheid
Bij u in ’t sterven vinden.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2014 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    Lau Kanen.  Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net


Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Fürchtegott Gellert (1715 - 1769)
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2014-08-04
Line count: 28
Word count: 165

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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