Johann Sebastian Bach Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe

There is naught of soundness within my body from thy dire anger,
nor any rest now for me in my bones from my evil doing.

The world is filled with sickness of the soul;
of countless thousands not a one is whole;
in childhood, even, may they sicken,
and all thru life be sorely stricken.
The glory virus smites the first
with ragging fever he is cursed;
a second is laid low
because his pride receives a bitter blow;
the third, to itch of gold a slave,
illnourished, finds an early grave.
Thru Adam’s fall the soul of each is spotted,
by leprosy of sin befouled and rotted.
Ah! deadly curse, how then may I endure it?
Where may I find a remedy
to ease my soul in all its misery?
What doctor wise will heal and cure it?

...

Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe vor deinem Dräuen,
und ist kein Friede in meinen Gebeinen vor meiner Sünde.

Die ganze Welt ist nur ein Hospital,
wo Menschen von unzähbar großer Zahl
und auch die Kinder in der Wiegen
an Krankheit hart darniederliegen.
Den einen qu?let in der Brust
ein hitzges Fieber böser Lust;
der andre lieget krank
an eigner Ehre hässlichem Gestank;
den dritten zehrt die Geldsucht ab
und stürzt ihn vor der Zeit ins Grab.
Der erste Fall hat jedermann beflecket
und mit dem Sündenaussatz angestecket.
Ach! dieses Gift durchwühlt auch meine Glieder;
Wo find ich Armer Arznei?
Wer stehet mir in meinem Elend bei?
Wer ist mein Arzt, wer hilft mir wieder?

...

Uwe Wolf
Translation: Neil Coleman

The cantata Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe BWV 25 was written during Bach’s first summer in Leipzig and was performed for the first time on 29 August 1723. The highly graphic text by an unknown poet is linked to Luke 17:11–19, the gospel for that Sunday, which gives an account of the healing of the ten lepers. From this the text develops the idea of the sickness of the whole world, which could be cured through God’s grace alone. A cantata for the same Sunday by the theologian and poet Johann Jakob Rambach served as a model for the first recitative.

As with the cantata performed on the previous Sunday Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben BWV 77, the opening movement is based on a complete instrumental chorale setting, in this case the chorale Herzlich tut mich verlangen for four-part wind ensemble. However the second verse of the song, Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, is better suited to the present cantata than Herzlich tut mich verlangen when sung to the same melody: Heal me, dear Lord, for I am weak and sick, my heart is in great distress, suffering much hardship, I am frightened to the bone, I am very much afraid

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