BWV 34a O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe

Wedding

Poet unknown; music only partly extant.

3. Ps. 128:4-6 with interpolations; 4. first line: Ps. 128:6; 7. Num. 24-26 with interpolations.

1726?, Leipzig; Parody: 1, 4, 5 → BWV 34/1, 5, 3.

BG 41; NBA I/33.

Part One

1. Aria (S,A,T,B)

O fire everlasting, O wellspring of love,
Enkindle our hearts at the sacred altar.
    Let heavenly passions envelop and flood them,
    Ah, let upon  this our dear couple made one
    The rays of the noblest emotions be showered.
2. Recit. (B)

What, doth then love’s exalted force
In every human spirit
A paradise on earth create?
What moveth thee, O highest creature,
Of love the influence to elect thee?
A darling for thy house to choose thee?

3. Aria (T) and Recit. (A)

Lo now, e’en so will be blessed the man who the Lord God feareth.(1)
    Where doth the spirit's faithful vision press?
    Why seeketh he good fortune’s fountain,
    Of faithful souls the wedded state
    As though a prosperous, and promised land’s
    Whose worth it sought capture?
The Lord will thus bless thee from Zion,
    What now though hath thy God for thee proposed
    For thee, whose good work in God’s house keeps?
    What will thy turn in holy temples
    On thee for blessings shower?
That thou seest Jerusalem prosper thy whole life long,(2)
    Since Zion’s weal did first thy heart concern,
    Then shall e’en earthly goods and pleasures
    To meet thy heart’s desires attend thee.
    For God doth here a chosen child to thee now bring,
    That thou in years unnumbered yet
    Renewed prosperity discover.
And thou shalt see thy children’s children.(3)
    Thus do we cry to bless this moment
    Sincerely with united voices:
4. Aria (S,A,T,B)

Peace be over Israel(4)
Haste unto that holy stairway,
Haste, the Highest bends his ear.
    And our longing welleth up,    
    “Peace be over Israel,”   
    “Peace be over you” invoking.
Part Two

5. Aria (A)

Well you, ye chosen of the shepherd,
Whom a devoted Jacob loves.
    His wage will there be greatest ever,
    Which him on earth the Lord hath given
    Through this his Rachel’s charm and grace.(5)
6. Recit. (S)

This is for thee, O honorable man,
The loftiest of wages
That can thee pleasure give.
God, who since time began hath love itself been called
And did a good and virtuous child thy heart allow to touch,
Make full now with thy  blessing this thy dwelling
That it like Obed Edom's be,(6)
And to this benediction might as well.

7. Aria (S,A,T,B)

Give, Most High God, here too the word thy strength
Which so much good amongst thy people brings:
The Lord bless thee now and watch over thee(7)
His blessing must upon that one be falling
Who songs like this in holy places singeth:
/A song of thanks unto thy throne be tendered
And at his feet a joyful offering rendered:/
The Lord shall brighten his countenance over thee and be thee gracious,(8)
The deeds of him who doth the temple serve
Call forth the Lord’s attention and his grace.
/He signeth thee with his paternal hand,
Which thee with many blessing hath endowed.
The Lord lift up now his countenance over thee and give thee his peace.(9)
The Lord by whom all passion pure was kindled
Preserve them both and speak his mighty Amen.
/Thy health doth stem from God’s own name and bosom.
So be now blessed through his most holy Amen.

1. Ps. 128:4

2. Ps. 128:5

3. Ps. 128:6

4. Ps. 128:6

5. Cf. Gen. 29:15 ff.

6. Cf. 2 Sam. 6:10-12

7. Num. 6:24

8. Num. 6:25

9. Num. 6:26

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose


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