Johann Sebastian Bach O my God, when shall I perish

O my God, when shall I perish?
For my days run swiftly by,
as with all who here do flourish,
for of Adam’s seed am I.
We inherit this from him,
that we for a little time
here on earth are tried and wearied,
then ourselves in earth are buried.

Why must you quake, my soul, with terror
that my last hour today may strike?
My mortal flesh tends earthward daily
and in that place shall slumber truly
that takes so many thousands back.

My heart feels in this life fear, sorrow, grief:
When will my flesh no more endure it?
And who from all my pain
and the oppressive yoke of sin

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Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben?
Meine Zeit läuft immer hin,
und des alten Adams Erben,
unter denen ich auch bin,
haben dies zum Vaterteil,
dass sie eine kleine Weil
arm und elend sein auf Erden
und denn selber Erde werden.

Was willst du dich mein Geist, entsetzen,
wenn meine letzte Stunde schlägt?
Mein Leib neigt täglich sich zur Erden,
und da muss seine Ruhstatt werden,
wohin man so viel tausend trägt.

Zwar fühlt mein schwaches Herz Furcht, Sorgen, Schmerz:
wo wird mein Leib die Ruhe finden?
Wer wird die Seele doch vom aufgelegten Sündenjoch befreien und entbinden?
Das Meine wird zerstreut,

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Hans-Joachim Schulze
Translation: David Kosviner

Among Bach’s chorale cantatas, Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben (O my God, when shall I perish), which was written for the 16th Sunday after Trinity, occupies a special position in that it exists in two versions in two different keys. The first version in E major was composed in September 1724 and thus belongs to the regular sequence of Bach’s annual cycle of chorale cantatas. The second version in D major was written, in all probability, in 1747 and is the result of a late revision. Bach’s composing score has not survived but, as an exception, two complete sets of parts which were in his possession are extant. Those of the late D major version were integrated into the annual cycle of chorale cantatas after the composer’s death and were added to Anna Magdalena Bach’s portion of the inheritance. Still, in the same year of 1750, the widow gave her collection of manuscripts to St. Thomas’s School, including the D major version of the present cantata. The original E major version was obviously considered to be a duplicate and it was sold off individually when the occasion arose. It thus made its way into the autograph inventory

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