Lied der Schmiedegesellen
Language: German (Deutsch)
Das sind wir Schmiedegesellen,
Sind gar verständige Leut',
Wir schmieden, derweil es glühet,
Das Eisen bei guter Zeit.
Wir hämmern und klimpern und klingen
Und gönnen uns wenig Ruh',
Doch singen wir unverdrossen
Manch lustiges Lied dazu.
Wir lernten vom Altgesellen
Viel Sprüchlein fromm und klug:
Den rechten Schmied erkennt man
Am Gruß und am rechten Spruch.
Und wem es in unsrer Werkstatt
Zum Besten nicht gefällt,
Der mag sein Glück versuchen
Da draußen in weiter Welt.
Da draußen auf breiter Straßen,
Da weht manch kühler Wind:
Wir klugen Schmiedegesellen,
Wir bleiben wo wir sind.
Und wenn es schneit und schlackert,
So schließen wir unsre Thür;
Und wenn an der Esse wir schwitzen,
So wissen wir, wofür.
Die Vesperglocke am Samstag,
Wie hat sie so klaren Ton:
Herr Meister, eure Gesellen,
Die bitten um ihren Lohn!
Da rechnet der Meister mit Jedem
Und zahlt ihm Stück für Stück:
So schafft und hämmert und schmiedet
Ein Jeder sein eignes Glück.
Confirmed with Gedichte von F. W. Weber, Achtzehnte Auflage, Paderborn: Druck und Verlag von Ferdinand Schöningh., 1895, pages 20-21
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):
- by Maria Görres (1823 - 1882), "Lied der Schmiedegesellen", published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Vier Lieder aus F. W. Weber's Gedichten für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 4, Paderborn, Schöningh [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839 - 1901), "Lied der Schmiedegesellen", op. 130 no. 5 (1882) [ TTBB chorus ], from Aus Westfalen, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song of the blacksmith apprentices", 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: 2011-09-21
Line count: 32
Word count: 159
Song of the blacksmith apprentices
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
We are the blacksmith apprentices,
We are very sagacious folk,
In good time we forge the iron
While it is glowing red.
We hammer and clink and clang
And allow ourselves little rest,
But undaunted we sing
Many a merry song the while.
We learned from the master blacksmith
Many a little maxim pious and clever:
The true smith is known
By his greeting and by the right maxim.
And whoever is not utterly contented
In our workplace,
He may try his luck
Out there in great wide world.
Out there on the wide streets,
Many a cool wind blows:
We clever blacksmith apprentices,
We remain where we are.
And when it snows and sleets,
We simply shut our door;
And if we sweat at the forge,
Then we know wherefore.
The evening bell on Saturday,
What a clear tone it emits:
Master, your apprentices,
They ask for their wages!
The master then settles with each one
And pays him piece for piece:
Thus each one works and hammers
And forges his own good fortune.
Text 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2015-09-29
Line count: 32
Word count: 175
