Sailor's departure | Boatswain's call! Cry of command!

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by Johann Heinrich Julius Frauenstein (1815 - 1880)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Schiffer's Abfahrt

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Hochbootsmannsruf! Kommandowort! 
Matrosenjubel rings am Bord. 
Der Anker steigt, mit stolzem Muth 
Durchfurcht das Schiff die grüne Fluth. 
Hinaus, hinaus zum Ocean,
Es winkt die spiegeleb'ne Bahn!
Hurrah!

Nach Westen hin, zum fremden Strand!
Ade, ade, lieb Vaterland!
Ade, ade, traut Heimathaus,
Nach andern Zonen geht's hinaus!
Und trübt das Scheiden auch den Blick,
Streng' ist die Pflicht, streng' das Geschick.
Ade!

Wohlauf, mein Schiff! Wohlauf, wohlauf! 
Beflüg'le deinen stolzen Lauf! 
Und ob auch Sturm und Woge droht, 
Ist Gott der Herr doch dein Pilot. 
Hei, wie so frisch die Wimpel weh'n! 
Mein Heimatland, auf Wiederseh'n! 
Ade!

Confirmed with Deutscher Sängerkalender, Herausgegeben von Heinrich Pfeil, Dritter Jahrgang (1877), page 18.

Text Authorship:

by Johann Heinrich Julius Frauenstein (1815 - 1880), "Schiffers Abfahrt" [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 Jakob Eduard Schmölzer (1812 - 1886), "Schiffer's Abfahrt", op. 210 (Vier Lieder für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 3, published 1881 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: C.F.W. Siegel [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Sailor's departure", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-05-04
Line count: 21
Word count: 97

Sailor's departure

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Boatswain's call! Cry of command!
The rejoicing of sailors on board.
The anchor rises, with proud courage
The ship ploughs through the green waters.
Out, out to the ocean,
The mirror-smooth pathway beckons!
Hurray!

Toward the west, to a foreign shore!
Adieu, adieu, dear homeland!
Adieu, adieu, familiar abode,
We're off to other zones!
And though parting dims our gaze,
Duty is stern, fate is strict.
Adieu!

Now then, my ship! Now then, now then!
Lend wings to your proud voyage!
And though storm and waves threaten,
The Lord God is nevertheless your pilot.
Ha, how briskly the pennants flutter!
My homeland, good bye!
Adieu!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Johann Heinrich Julius Frauenstein (1815 - 1880), "Schiffers Abfahrt"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-05-04
Line count: 21
Word count: 105