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Des Maurers Wandeln Es gleicht dem Leben, Und sein Bestreben Es gleicht dem Handeln Der Menschen auf Erden. Die Zukunft decket Schmerzen und Glücke. Schrittweis' dem Blicke, Doch ungeschrecket Dringen wir vorwärts, Und schwer und [schwerer]1 Hängt eine Hülle Mit Ehrfurcht. Stille Ruhn oben die Sterne Und unten die Gräber. Betracht' sie genauer Und siehe, so melden Im Busen der Helden Sich wandelnde Schauer Und ernste Gefühle. Doch rufen von drüben Die Stimmen der Geister Die Stimmen der Meister: Versäumt nicht zu üben Die Kräfte des Guten. Hier winden sich Kronen In ewiger Stille, Die sollen mit Fülle Die Thätigen lohnen! Wir heißen euch hoffen.
Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe, letzter Hand, Dritter Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1828, pages 69-70.
1 Sommer: "ferne"Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Symbolum", appears in Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe, letzter Hand, Band III, in 2. Loge [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 Gottfried von Einem (1918 - 1996), "Symbolum", op. 73 no. 1 (1982-3), first performed 1985 [ medium voice and piano ], from 12 Tag- und Nachtlieder, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Symbolum" [ voice and orchestra ], confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Simbolum", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Symbolum", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 106
The mason's transformation Is similar to life, And his endeavours Are similar to the works Of the people on earth. The future is covered By pain and joy. [Only] step by step to an observing gaze, But fearlessly, We are pressing onward, And heavy and [heavier]1 Hangs a shroud With reverence. Quietly The stars rest on high And the graves [rest] below. Observe them more closely And see: thus in the breasts of heroes Vacillating shivers And solemn feelings Make themselves known. Yet from yonder The voices of the spirits call, The voices of the masters: Do not neglect to practise The powers of goodness. Here crowns are wrought In eternal silence, They shall richly reward Those who are active! We command you to hope.
1 Sommer: "distant"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Symbolum", appears in Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe, letzter Hand, Band III, in 2. Loge
This text was added to the website: 2020-08-13
Line count: 30
Word count: 126