Faithfulness in small matters | When the Lord gazes down upon earth

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Treue im Kleinen

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

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Schaut der Herr zur Erde nieder 
Prüfend auf der Menschen Thun, 
Stets auf Einem immer wieder 
Muß sein Auge freundlich ruhn.

Mag's die Welt auch nicht ermessen 
Was gewirket schimmerlos, 
Ewig bleibt ihm unvergessen 
Treue, die im Kleinen groß.

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 307.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Treue im Kleinen", appears in Liederbuch, in 5. Vermischte Lieder, no. 331 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Samuel Hoch (b. 1830) [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Faithfulness in small matters", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-21
Line count: 8
Word count: 39

Faithfulness in small matters

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

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When the Lord gazes down upon earth,
Scrutinizing the actions of mankind,
Ever anon His eye must rest
Amiably upon one thing.

Though the world may not appreciate
That which is done without great glory,
To Him remains, eternally unforgotten,
Faithfulness that is great in small matters.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Treue im Kleinen", appears in Liederbuch, in 5. Vermischte Lieder, no. 331
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-08-23
Line count: 8
Word count: 47