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Wie erhöht, Weltherrscher, Deine Bewundrung den Geist des Staubs! Denket er dich, Herrlicher, welche Gefühl Flammt in ihm! welcher Gedank' hebt ihn, denket er dich! Ist ein Mensch glückselig? Einer der Waller am Grabe das? Du, der es ist, rede, dich frag' ich allein: Nennest du, würdigest du etwas Seligkeit dann, In dem Staub' hier unten, Dann noch zu nennen, wenn Gottes Wink Wonnegefühl seiner Vollkommenheit dir Sendet, du freudig erschrickst über Gott, wie im Traum, Vor dem Hingang selig? Fliege durch Welten, und sey der Freund Derer, die schon Ewigkeit hinter sich sehn, Dachten, und thaten: du bist nur glückselig selbst dort! Denn des Herrn Anschauen Ist es allein, was dir Seligkeit, Jenes Gefühl seiner Vollkommenheit dir Giebt, daß du freudig erschrickst über Gott, den du schaust!
H. Nägeli sets stanzas 1-4
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesText Authorship:
- by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803), "Der Selige" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2010-06-23
Line count: 20
Word count: 131
Ruler of the world, how does Adulation of Thee elevate the spirit of the dust! If he thinks on Thee, Glorious One, what feelings Flame within him! what thoughts elevate him, if he thinks on Thee! Is a man blissfully happy? Is a pilgrim at the grave that? You, who are happy, speak; I ask only you: Do you then still call anything, do you judge anything as felicity In the dust down here, When God's sign Sends you the blissful awareness of His perfection And you are joyfully startled at the thought of God, as in a dream, Before your demise? Fly through worlds and be the friend Of those, who already see eternity behind them, Thought, and acted: for you yourself shall only be happy there! For beholding the Lord Is alone what gives you felicity, That feeling of His perfection, So that you may be joyfully startled by God, whom you see!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslations of title(s):
"Die höchste Glückseligkeit" = "The greatest happiness"
"Der Selige" = "The blissful man"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803), "Der Selige"
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This text was added to the website: 2017-05-13
Line count: 20
Word count: 158