Songs

Bist du bei mir

by J S Bach, arr. Britten

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Text & Translation

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Bist du bei mir
German source: Anon.

Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden
zum Sterben und zu meiner Ruh.
Ach, wie vergnügt wär so mein Ende,
es drückten deine schönen Hände
mir die getreuen Augen zu!

Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
English translation © Z. Philip Ambrose

Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
To death and on to my repose.
Ah, how my end would bring contentment,
If, pressing with thy hands so lovely,
Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close.

_Published in J.S. Bach: The Extant Texts of the Vocal Works_
_in English Translations with Commentary Volume 1: BWV 1-200; Volume 2: BWV 201 (Philadelphia: XLibris, 2005)_

Bist du bei mir
German source: Anon.

Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
English source: Z. Philip Ambrose

Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden
Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
zum Sterben und zu meiner Ruh.
To death and on to my repose.
Ach, wie vergnügt wär so mein Ende,
Ah, how my end would bring contentment,
es drückten deine schönen Hände
If, pressing with thy hands so lovely,
mir die getreuen Augen zu!
Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close.

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