Was frag ich nach der Welt (What should I ask of the world),[1] BWV 94 is one of many church cantatas composed by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The cantata is scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, and a baroque instrumental ensemble of a flauto traverso, two oboes, two violins, viola, organ and continuo.

[2][3] An unknown poet transformed the chorale into a cantata text, retaining stanzas 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8, expanding 3 and 5 by inserted recitatives, and rewriting 2, 4 and 6 into arias.

[2][4] The cantata in eight movements is scored for four vocal soloists—soprano, alto, tenor and bass–and a four-part choir, flauto traverso, two oboes, two violins, viola, organ and continuo.

[9] In the bass aria with continuo, comparing the world to "haze and shadow",[1] tumbling motives illustrate vanishing, falling and breaking, whereas long held notes speak of stability ("besteht").

[10] In the third movement the tenor sings the chorale in rich ornamentation, the accompaniment of two oboes and continuo is similar to the (later) Er ist auf Erden kommen arm in the Christmas Oratorio, #7 of Part I.