Letzte Treue
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Hart am Hügel liegt ein Krieger
Braun gefärbt durch Sonnenbrand
Und zu schwach die Wehr zu fassen
Ist gesunken seine Hand.
Ach! in hellen Perlen träuft es
Aus der Wunde teifen Schmerz[.]
Lajos ist's der Magyare[.]
Es verblutet hier sein Herz.
Aus dem Getümmel brachten Brüder
Hoch auf schaumbedeckten Ross
Sterbend ihn bis zu dem Hügel[,]
Wild verfolgt vom Feindestross.
Händeringend um die Leiche
Steh'n sie starr, fast sinnberaubt[.]
Senken still ihn in die Grube
Doch einer spricht begeistert[:] entblösst euer Haupt.
Leb wohl Kamrad [sic], wir kämpften nicht vergebens!
Die Sclavenfesseln sprengten wir mit Muth[.]
Es galt die Freiheit, sie ist der Werth des Lebens[,]
Und sie bezahlten wir mit unserm Blut.
In deines Herzens grabesstumme Leere
Dringt nun kein zweites Leben ein[,]
Doch deiner Brüder hingeweinte Zähre
Fällt auf dein Grab als stiller Leichenstein.
Lebe wohl!
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Last act of faithfulness", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2015-04-30
Line count: 25
Word count: 138
Last act of faithfulness
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Hard by the hillside lies a warrior,
Tanned by the burning sun
And, too weak to grasp the weapon,
His hand has fallen.
Ah, bright pearls trickle
From the deep pain of his wound[.]
It is Lajos the Magyar[.]
His heart is bleeding to death here.
Borne high upon a foam-flecked steed,
From the fray his brethren
Brought him dying to the hillside,
Wildly pursued by a swarm of foes.
Around the corpse, wringing their hands,
They stand numbly, almost senseless[.]
They quietly lower him into the grave
But one of them speaks passionately: Bare your heads.
Farewell, comrade, we did not fight in vain!
With courage we broke the chains of the slaves.
Freedom was at stake, [freedom] is what makes life worthwhile,
And we paid for it with our blood.
Into the emptiness of your heart, muted by the grave,
No second life shall now penetrate[,]
But the tear wept by your brethren
Falls upon your grave as a silent tombstone.
Farewell!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by Sharon Krebs, (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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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2015-04-30
Line count: 25
Word count: 164