Easter...

I really love this song.... a lot, so I thought Easter time would be the perfect time to share it.

I know it's a song we're all really familiar with, but I feel like most people don't appreciate it as much as they could. My theory is that they just haven't heard the lyrics; the words are the thing that really make this song meaningful to me....

Here are the original German words for those of you who are multilingual (or pretend to be, like I do):

Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
Meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
Jesus wehret allem Leide,
Er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
Meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
Meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne;
Darum lass ich Jesum nicht
Aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.

And here's the English translation. It doesn't come close to doing it justice, but it gets the point across:

Jesus shall remain my gladness,
Essence of my heart, its hope;
Jesus from all grief protecteth,
He is of my life its strength,
Of mine eyes the sun and pleasure,
Of my soul the joy and treasure;
Therefore I will Jesus not
From my heart and sight allow.

Bach is a pretty much a master, and he's definitely one of my favorite composers. Check out the rest of "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" if you get a chance. This one's from the 10th movement, but the rest of it is easily just as good. 

Happy Easter!!!!