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Firstpublished:1773 Description: Harmony by J.S. Bach from BWV 93; text is no. 64 from Liebig's "Geistliche Lieder und Oden", Hirschberg und Leipzig, 1773. Spelling and punctuation have been modernised.
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Original text and translations
German text
Dir, dir, du Geber aller Gaben (Bach)
1. Dir, dir, du Geber aller Gaben,
dir, dir gebühret aller Dank;
du hörst das Schrei'n der jungen Raben,
du liebst der Lerche Lobgesang;
O neig auch jetzt dein Ohr zu mir!
Du forderst Dank; ich danke dir.
2. Die kleinste deiner Kreaturen
macht deine Weisheit offenbar:
man siehet deiner Liebe Spuren
und deine Macht, von Jahr zu Jahr;
ein jedes Gräslein lehret mich:
Gott schuf die Welt; Gott liebet dich.
3. Was dürr' ist, feuchtest du mit Regen,
was kalt ist, wärmt dein Sonnenschein;
Du teilst die Zeiten, wie den Segen,
zu unserm Besten, weislich ein.
Bei Wärme, Hitze, Kält und Frost
grünt, wächst und reifet unsre Kost.
4.Beschütze die geschenkten Güter,
lass uns die Gaben wohl gedeihn;
lass teure Zeit und Ungewitter,
entfernt von unsern Grenzen sein.
Verhüte Krieg und Hungersnot,
und gib uns unser täglich Brot.
English translation
1. Come Christians, praise your Maker's goodness,
Rejoice in Him and in His gift;
To-day before the Lord of harvest
In happy songs your voices lift;
For He who cared for us of yore
Hath bless'd our fields and homes once more.
2. Accept, O Lord, our thankful praises
For all our Father doth bestow;
May it increase our faith, and lead us
Our praise by godly lives to show;
That every deed and word may prove
We trust and own our Father's love.
3. Thou feedest us in pure compassion;
Teach us to care for others' need;
Let each, as he is able, comfort
The sick and poor, the hungry feed:
O Father Thou of all below,
On each what most he needs bestow.
4. Open Thy bounteous hands in blessing
Thus to refresh us year by year;
Provide for us through all life's journey,
And make us faithful stewards here
Of all that to our care is given,
That greater gifts be ours in heaven.
5. Preserve to us what Thou hast sent us,
And grant us calm and peaceful days
And grateful hearts, that we may use it
In quiet gladness to Thy praise:
And while our bodies thus are fed,
O grant our souls the Living Bread! Translation by Catherine Winkworth
German text
English translation