Johann Sebastian Bach Cantata No. 54

Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata No. 54
Widerstehe doch der Sünde

The Indianola Presbyterian Church Chamber Orchestra
Christopher Dent, conductor
Skye Johnson, alto soloist

Sung in German
German text by Georg Christian Lehms

Translation
I. ARIA
Stand firm against sin,
otherwise its poison seizes hold of you.
Do not let Satan blind you
for to desecrate the honour of God
meets with a curse, which leads to death.

II. RECITATIVE
The nature of loathsome sins
is indeed from outside very beautiful;
but you must
afterwards with sorrow and frustration
experience much hardship.
From outside it is gold
but if you want to look more closely
it is shown to be only an empty shadow
and whitewashed tomb.
It is like the apples of Sodom
and those who join with it
do not reach God's kingdom.
It is like a sharp sword
that goes through our body and soul.

III. ARIA
Who commits sins is of the devil,
for it is he who has produced them.
but if against its despicable mobs
with true devotion you stand firm,
sin has at once fled away.
English Translation by Francis Brown (2002)