This is the third and final prayer in Gethsemane. The disciples keep falling asleep, despite Jesus' repeated requests to stay awake. Their weakness becomes painfully clear.
Jesus' words now take on an urgent tone: 'Ach!' is a cry of disappointment and pain. The moment of his arrest is breaking. The time of watching is over, now comes the time of suffering. 'Behold, he is at hand' marks the transition from contemplation to action.
Gethsemane
Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend
Recitative
•Evangelist, Jesus
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No. 27apart_30
Evangelist
And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy, And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then came he to his disciples, and said unto them:
Jesus
Sleep on now, and take your rest! Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
German
English
Evangelist
Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend, und ihre Augen waren voll Schlaf's, Und er ließ sie, und ging abermals hin und betete zum dritten Mal und redete dieselbigen Worte. Da kam er zu seinen Jüngern, und sprach zu ihnen:
Evangelist
And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy, And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then came he to his disciples, and said unto them:
Jesus
Ach! Wollt ihr nun schlafen und ruhen? Siehe, die Stunde ist hier, daß des Menschen Sohn in der Sünder Hände überantwortet wird. Stehet auf, lasset uns gehen; siehe, er ist da, der mich verrät.
Jesus
Sleep on now, and take your rest! Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Modern adaptation
Again he found them sleeping, their eyes too heavy to stay open. He prayed the same prayer a third time. Then he returned and said: 'Still sleeping? The moment has come. I am being betrayed. Get up, we're going. My betrayer is already here.'