Immanuel, o süßes Wort! 
Mein Jesus heißt mein Hort, 
mein Jesus heißt mein Leben. 
Mein Jesus hat sich mir ergeben, 
mein Jesus soll mir immerfort vor meinen Augen schweben. 
Mein Jesus heißet meine Lust, 
mein Jesus labet Herz und Brust.
Immanuel, o sweet name!
My Jesus is my strength,
my Jesus is my life.
My Jesus has devoted himself to me,
my Jesus shall float before my eyes for ever.

My Jesus is my desire,
my Jesus cheers heart and breast
S Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben,  Jesus, you, my dearest life,
B Komm! Ich will dich mit Lust umfassen,  Come! I will embrace you with delight, 
S meiner Seelen Bräutigam,  bridegroom of my soul, 
B mein Herze soll dich nimmer lassen,  my heart shall never leave you, 
S der du dich vor mich gegeben  who gave yourself for me 
B Ach! So nimm mich zu dir! Ah!  Then take me to you!
S an des bittern Kreuzes Stamm! on the tree of the bitter cross!

 

Auch in dem Sterben
sollst du mir das Allerliebste sein; 
in Not, Gefahr und Ungemach 
seh ich dir sehnlichst nach. 
Was jagte mir zuletzt derTod für Grauen ein? 
Mein Jesus! Wenn ich sterbe, 
so weiß ich, daß ich nicht verderbe. 
Dein Name steht in mir geschrieben, 
der hat des Todes Furcht vertrieben.
Even in death
you will be the dearest of all to me;
in despair, danger and hardship
I look to you with the utmost longing.
After all what dread can death strike into me?
My Jesus!  When I die,
then I know that I shall not perish.
Your name is written in me,
it has driven out the fear of death.

39. Aria - Soprano 

This beautiful and deeply moving aria, with its gentle pizzicato bass line, is taken directly from Cantata 213, where it appears with different words under the title Treues Echo dieser Orten – True Echo of These Places. Known as the “Echo Aria”, the movement is for soprano with obbligato oboe. The voice of humankind is represented by a second soprano, who provides the echo from an off-stage location. The relationship between the parts is complicated and sophisticated, the oboe also being included in the echo passages. Being true chamber music it is also a masterclass in compositional skill.  Across just three parts Bach distributes the most beautiful melody, the bass line and implies all the harmony which is necessary. Every note of this aria is essential and not one is superfluous. (There is a moving scene in Peter Shaffer’s screenplay for the film Amadeus in which Antonio Salieri says, with both envy and admiration, of Mozart’s music, “Displace one note and there would be diminishment, displace one phrase and the structure would fall.” Such a statement is absolutely applicable to this wonderful aria). 

Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein Namen 
auch den allerkleinsten Samen 
jenes strengen Schreckens ein? 
Nein, du sagst ja selber nein!  
Sollt ich nun das Sterben scheuen?
Nein, dein süßes Wort ist da! 
Oder sollt ich mich erfreuen? 
Ja, du Heiland sprichst selbst ja!
My saviour, does your name instil
even the slightest seed
of that bitter terror?
No, indeed you yourself say no!
Shall I now fear death?
No, your sweet word is there!
Or should I rejoice?
Yes, you the saviour say yes!