Wir schnitten die Saaten

Wir schnitten die Saaten,
wir Buben und Dirnen,
mit nackenden Armen
und triefenden Stirnen,
von donnernden dunkeln
Gewittern bedroht.
Gerettet das Korn.
Und nicht Einer der darbe.
Von Garbe zu Garbe
ist Raum für den Tod.
Wie schwellen die Lippen
des Lebens so rot!

Hoch tronet ihr Schönen,
auf güldenen Sitzen,
in strotzenden Garben,
umflimmert von Blitzen.
Nicht Eine die darbe!
Wir bringen das Brot!
Zum Reigen! Zum Tanze!
Zur tosenden Runde!
Von Munde zu Munde
ist Raum für den Tod.
Wie schwellen die Lippen
des Lebens so rot!

Translation(s): ENG FRE

List of language codes

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• by Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825 - 1898), "Schnitterlied" [ author's text checked 1 time]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Volkmar Andreae (1879 - 1962), "Schnitterlied", op. 10 (6 Gedichte von Conrad Ferdinand Meyer) no. 3, published 1906. [voice and piano] [ sung text not verified ]
• by Jan Pieter Hendrik van Gilse (1881 - 1944), "Schnitterlied", from Vier Gedichte von Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, no. 4. [ sung text not verified ]
• by Karl Hallwachs , "Schnitterlied", op. 19 (Zehn Gedichts von C.F. Meyer für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 8, published 1899 [voice and piano], Mannheim, Heckel [ sung text not verified ]
• by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Schnitterlied (Chor der Lebenden)", op. 38 no. 2 (1929) [solo voices, chorus, organ, and orchestra], from Das Dunkle Reich, choral fantasy for soloists, organ & orchestra, no. 2. [ sung text not verified ]
• by Armin Schibler (1920 - 1986), "Schnitterlied", op. 48 no. 7 (1956-8) [soli, mixed chorus, men's chorus, and orchestra], from the oratorio Media in vita, no. 7. [ sung text verified 1 time]
• by Heinrich Kaspar Schmid (1874 - 1953), "Schnitterlied", op. 50 (Vier Tongedichte) no. 3, published 1926 [men's chorus a cappella], Leipzig: F. E. C. Leuckart [ sung text not verified ]
• by Richard Trunk (1879 - 1968), "Schnitterlied", op. 40 (Sechs Lieder) no. 6. [ sung text not verified ]
• by Viktor Ullmann (1898 - 1944), "Schnitterlied", op. 37 no. 1, from Drei Lieder Op. 37, no. 1. [ sung text verified 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (Peter Palmer) , "Song of the reapers", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project, and I have been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated.      - Emily Ezust

Nous avons moissonné le blé

Nous avons moissonné le blé,
Nous les garçons et les filles,
Avec nos bras nus
Et nos fronts dégoulinants,
Sous de sombres et tonnant
Nuages menaçants.
Le grain a été sauvé.
Et pas un n'a été perdu.
Entre les gerbes
Il y a de la place pour la mort.
Comme cela gonfle les lèvres
De la vie si rouges !

Vous siégez en haut, beautés,
Sur des trônes dorés,
En gerbes débordantes,
Entourées d'éclairs.
Pas un grain n'a été perdu !
Nous apportons le pain !
Dans le cercle ! Dans la danse !
Dans la ronde qui gronde !
Entre les bouches
Il y a de la place pour la mort.
Comme cela gonfle les lèvres
De la vie si rouges !

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About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2015 by Guy Laffaille, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
  
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• a text in German (Deutsch) by Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825 - 1898), "Schnitterlied" ENG
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Volkmar Andreae, Jan Pieter Hendrik van Gilse, Karl Hallwachs, Hans Erich Pfitzner, Armin Schibler, Heinrich Kaspar Schmid, Richard Trunk, Viktor Ullmann. Go to the text.

Text added to the website: 2015-02-26.
Last modified: 2015-02-26 12:57:40
Line count: 24
Word count: 123