Knappenlied
Language: German (Deutsch)
Zum Knappen taugt kein schlechter Wicht,
Zum Knappen taugt ein Feiger nicht,
Zum Knappen taugt ein Mann.
Sein Leib muß sein von Kraft geschwellt,
Sein Herz muß sein von Muth beseelt,
Sonst ist's nicht gut gethan.
Nicht scheuen darf er Fahr und Noth,
Nicht scheuen darf er Grab und Tod,
Nicht scheu'n der Hölle Glut,
Den Berggeist der nur Böses sinnt,
Den Schwaden der Verderben spinnt,
Nicht scheu'n die falsche Flut.
Sein Stollen heiße: Zuversicht,
Der Glaube sei sein Grubenlicht,
Sein Fäustel sei die Kraft.
Und schürft er so wie sich's gehört,
Ist er es werth auch, daß er schwört
Zu uns'rer Knappenschaft.
Es reich' ihm jeder dar die Hand
Zum festen dauernden Verband,
Was auch erfolg' darauf.
Willkommen sei er unser'm Bund,
Und freudig schall aus jedem Mund
Dem Wackern ein: "Glückauf!"
Confirmed with Aus der Teufe. Bergmännische Dichtungen von Dr. Johann Nep. Vogl, zweite vermehrte Auflage, Wien: Verlag von Carl Gerold's Sohn, 1856, page 25
Text 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, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , title 1: "Song of the varlets", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2016-05-18
Line count: 24
Word count: 133
Song of the varlets
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
To be a varlet one cannot be a scoundrel,
To be a varlet one cannot be coward,
To be varlet one must be a man.
His body must be swollen with power,
His heart must be animated by courage,
Otherwise it is simply no good.
He must not dread descent and hardship,
He must not dread the grave and death,
Not dread the blazing of hell,
The mountain spirit who only plots evil,
The choke-damp that weaves destruction,
Not dread the false floodwaters.
His tunnel shall be called: confidence,
[His] faith shall be his miner’s lamp,
His sledgehammer shall be strength.
And if he digs as is proper,
Then he is worthy of being sworn
Into our brotherhood of varlets.
Everyone should offer him his hand
To a firm, lasting bond,
Whatever may happen thereafter.
May he be welcome to our band,
And may from everyone happily sound
A "good luck!" to the valiant one.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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: 2016-05-18
Line count: 24
Word count: 155
