The Complete Weihnachts-oratorium of JS Bach, Part III:I-VI

1. Coro (S, A, T, B)

Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen,
Lass dir die matten Gesänge gefallen,
Wenn dich dein Zion mit Psalmen erhöht!
Höre der Herzen frohlockendes Preisen,
Wenn wir dir itzo die Ehrfurcht erweisen,
Weil unsre Wohlfahrt befestiget steht!

~

Ruler of heaven, give ear to our stammer,
Let these our weary refrains bring thee pleasure,
As thee thy Zion with psalms doth exalt!
Hear thou our hearts, though, exultant with praises,
As we to thee here our homage now render,
For our salvation stands strong and secure!

~~~~~

2. Recitativo (T)

[Evangelist]

Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren,

sprachen die Hirten untereinander:

~

And when the angel went away from them up to heaven,

said the shepherds one to another:

~~~~~

3. Coro (S, A, T, B) 

[Die Hirten]
Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem

und die Geschichte sehen,

die da geschehen ist,

die uns der Herr kundgetan hat.

~

[The Shepherds] 

"Let us now go quickly to Bethlehem

and this event now witness

which hath here taken place,

that which the Lord made known to us."

4. Recitativo (B)

Er hat sein Volk getröst',
Er hat sein Israel erlöst,
Die Hülf aus Zion hergesendet
Und unser Leid geendet.
Seht, Hirten, dies hat er getan;
Geht, dieses trefft ihr an!

~

He brought his people hope,
He hath his Israel redeemed,
His help from Zion he hath sent us
And all our suff'ring ended.
See, shepherds, this thing hath he done;
Go, this thing go and see!

~~~~~

5. Choral  (S, A, T, B) 

Dies hat er alles uns getan,
Sein groß Lieb zu zeigen an;
Des freu sich alle Christenheit
Und dank ihm des in Ewigkeit.
Kyrieleis

~

This hath he all for us brought forth,
His great love to manifest;
Rejoice thus all Christianity
And thank him in eternity.
Kyrieleis! [1]

6. Aria (Duetto) (S, B)

Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen
Tröstet uns und macht uns frei.

Deine holde Gunst und Liebe,
Deine wundersamen Triebe
Machen deine Vatertreu

Wieder neu.

~

Lord, thy mercy, thy forgiveness,
Comforts us and sets us free.

Thy most gracious love and favor,
Thy most wonderful affection
Here make thy paternal faith
New again.

~~~~~

~~~~~

[1] This Kyrieleis 'have mercy, Lord' provides a transition to the first line of the following aria.

~

The complete Christmas Oratorio is featured on All for Hymn
beginning at 6:00 PM ET on December 24, 2011
and running every 3 hours.

English Translation and Footnote © Z. Philip Ambrose, translator, 

Web publication: http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach.

Used by permission.

Special thanks to counterpoint85 over on youtube
for posting the complete work.