The Second Day of Easter (Easter Monday).

Poet unknown (Christian Weiss?, see Dürr, pp. 42-43).

1. Lk. 24:29; 3. the first stanza: Philipp Melanchthon, "Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesus Christ," 1579 (the German version of "Vespera iam venit"); the second stanza: Nikolaus Selnecker, "In dieser letzt'n betrübten Zeit," 1572 (Wackernagel, IV, #392). 6. Martin Luther, verse 2 of "Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort," 1542 (Wackernagel, III, #1482).

2 April 1725, Leipzig.

BG 1; NBA I/10.

1. Chorus [Dictum] (S, A, T, B)

Bide with us, for it will soon be evening, and the day is now declining.

2. Aria (A)

High-exalted Son of God,
Let it thee not be unwelcome
That we now before thy throne
A petition lay before thee:
Bide, oh, bide for us our light,
For the darkness doth steal in.

3. Chorale (S)

Oh, bide with us, Lord Jesus Christ,
For now the evening is at hand,
Thy godly word, that radiant light,
Let in our midst, yea, never fade.
Within this recent time of woe
Grant us, O Lord, steadfastness sure,
That we thy word and sacrament
Keep ever pure until our end.

4. Recit. (B)

Here hath the darkest gloom
Attained the upper hand in many places.
But wherefore is this come upon us?
The cause is just that both the humble and the mighty
Keep not in righteousness
'Fore thee, O God, their pathway
And gainst their Christian vows have acted
Thus hast thou e'en the lampstands overturned.(1)

5. Aria (T)

Jesus, keep our sights upon thee,
That we not
Walk upon the sinful pathway.
Let the light
Of thy word o'er us shine brighter,
And forever grant thy favor.

6. Chorale (S, A, T, B)

Reveal thy might, Lord Jesus Christ,
O thou who art the Lord of Lords;
Protect thy wretched Christian folk,
That they praise thee eternally.

© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose

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