Gottes Bild ist Fürst und Staat,
Rettung der Bedrängten beider Pflicht,
Doch [bald will, bald kann er]1 nicht;
Weiß die Vorsicht keinen Rat?
Einer tut es [oft]2 für Fürst und Staat,
Und erhebt die Pflicht zur Heldentat.
Witwen hört drum auf zu weinen,
Euern Retter seh' ich schon erscheinen!

Willkommen, du Tröster im Leide!
Willkommen, du Bote vom [Himmel gesandt]3, Spendou!
Du wandelst den Trübsinn in Freude,
Und lächelst Verzweifelnden Hoffnungen zu.

So schwindet der finstere, [neblichte]4 Flor,
Der düster die herbstlichen Hügel betaut,
Zerstreut von der Sonne [zum]5 Himmel empor,
Wenn die ihn [in ihrem Vermögen]6 beschaut.

Die Sonne [zerstreut]7 die Nebel der Flur,
Und heitert das Antlitz der düstern Natur.

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Schubert, first edition: "man will, und kann oft"
² Schubert, first edition: "dann"
³ Schubert, first edition: "Himmel, Spendou"
⁴ Schubert (autograph): "düstere", but "neblichte" when repeated
⁵ Schubert, first edition: "gen"
⁶ Schubert (in the repetition): "glanzvoll"
⁷ Schubert, first edition: "zerstreuet"

Text Authorship:

• by Johann Hoheisel (1767 - 1841), written 1816 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

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

• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Rezitativ und Duett", subtitle: "Witwe (Sopr), Waise (Sopr), Basso", D 472 no. 2 (1816), first performed 1816 [ 2 sopranos, bass, and orchestra ], from cantata Kantate zu Ehren von Josef Spendou, no. 2, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Recitative and duet", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Récitatif et duo", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2017-10-16
Line count: 18
Word count: 120

The prince and the state are the image of God,
Duty demands that they save people in distress,
But sometimes they do not want to or are unable to act;
Does anticipation offer no advice?

One man often acts on behalf of the prince and the state,
And he raises duty up to make it a heroic act.
Therefore, widows, cease your weeping,
I can see your saviour already appearing!

Welcome, you comforter of those who suffer!
Welcome, you ambassador sent from heaven, Spendou!
You turn anxious minds to joy,
And your smile offers hope to those in despair.

Thus the dark, dreary veil of mist vanishes
(The misty dew from the autumn hills)
And is destroyed by the sun and it rises up to the sky,
When they behold him in all his power.

The sun destroys the mist on the meadow
And warms the face of gloomy nature.