BWV 164 Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Salomo Franck, Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer ... in geistlichen Cantaten (Weimar, 1715); Facs: Neumann T, p. 282.

6. Elisabeth Kreuziger, verse 5 of "Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn," 1524 (Wackernagel, I, #236).

26 August 1725, Leipzig.

BG 33; NBA I/21.



1. Aria (T)

Ye who the name of Christ have taken,
Where bideth your compassion now,
Whereby one Christ's true members knoweth?
It is from you, ah, far away.
Your hearts should be with kindness filled,
And yet they're harder than a stone.

2. Recit. (B)

We've heard, indeed, what love itself doth say:
Those with compassion who their neighbor are receiving,
These shall before the court
Compassion be receiving.(1)
And yet we give no heed to this!
We listen to our neighbor's sighing still!
He knocks upon our heart; but opened is it not!(2)
We see him wring his hands despairing,
His eye, too, which with tears o'erflows;
But still the heart will not to love be prompted.
The Levite and the priest
Who here now step aside
The image make of loveless Christians;
They act as if they knew of others' suff'ring nothing,
And they pour neither oil nor wine
Into their neighbor's wounds.(3)

3. Aria (A)

Just through love and through compassion
Will we be like God himself.
Hearts Samaritan in kindness
Find the stranger's pain as painful
And are in compassion rich.

4. Recit. (T)

Ah, melt indeed with thine own radiant love
This frigid heart of steel,
That I the true love of the Christian,
My Savior, daily practise;
And that my neighbor's mis'ry,
No matter who he is,
Friend or a foe, Christian or heath'n,
As though it were my own my heart would fill with mercy!
My heart, be loving, soft and mild,
Then will in me thine image be revealed.(4)

5. Aria (S, B)

To hands which are ever open
Heaven's doors will open wide.
Eyes which flow with tears' compassion
By the Savior's grace are seen.
To hearts which for love are striving
God himself his heart will offer.

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

Now slay us through thy kindness,
Arouse us through thy grace;
The former man now weaken,
So that the new may live
And, here on earth now dwelling,
The mind and every yearning
And thought may raise to thee.


1. Cf. Mt. 5:7.

2. Cf. Mt. 7:7.

3. Cf. Lk. 10:34.

4. Cf. BWV 163/3.


© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose


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