Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd (The lively hunt is all my heart's desire), BWV 208.1, BWV 208,[1] also known as the Hunting Cantata, is a secular cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, belatedly for the birthday of Duke Christian of Saxe-Weissenfels on 27 February 1713.

The text is by Salomon Franck, the Weimar court poet, who published it in Geist- und Weltlicher Poesien Zweyter Theil (Jena, 1716).

As was common at the time, Franck's flattering text draws on classical mythology and features such characters as Diana, the goddess of the hunt.

The cantata was scored for four vocalist soloists: The instrumental parts comprised two horns, two recorders, two oboes, taille, bassoon, two violins, viola, cello, violone, and continuo.

[12] So far as is known, "Sheep may safely graze" is not one of the numbers from the cantata which Bach chose to rearrange, but a variety of arrangements by other people exist.

British composer William Walton re-orchestrated "Sheep May Safely Graze" for a ballet score based on music by Bach, The Wise Virgins.

American composer and electronic musician Wendy Carlos arranged and recorded "Sheep May Safely Graze" on a Moog synthesizer for her 1973 album Switched-On Bach II.