English translations of Fünf Männerchöre, opus 31

by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920)

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1. Deutschlands Stärke wird nicht wanken  [sung text not yet checked]
by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Deutschlands Stärke wird nicht wanken", op. 31 (Fünf Männerchöre) no. 1, published 1894 [ ttbb chorus ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Manches Land hab' ich gesehen, 
   Manches Volk hab' ich geschaut; 
Uebles müsse mir geschehen, 
   Wollt' ich's nicht bekennen laut: 
Nie hat mir gefallen 
       Fremder Lande Brauch; 
       Frei drum sag' ich's auch: 
Deutscher Brauch ist über allen!

Von der Elbe bis zum Rhein, 
   Von dem Rhein bis Ungerland 
Mag der Völker erstes sein, 
   Die ich in der Welt erkannt, 
Kraft und reine Minne, 
       Treue unverzagt, 
       Muth, der Alles wagt, 
Deutschland hält sie stets im Sinne. 

Deutschland, du sollst mächtig sein 
   Ueber jedes Volk der Welt, 
Wie dein Eichenlaub im Hain 
   Ueber alle Wipfel schwellt. 
Mag in wildem Schwanken 
       Volk um Volk vergehn, 
       Du bleibst feste stehn, 
Deutschlands Stärke wird nicht wanken!

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Confirmed with Gottfried Kinkel, Gedichte, Dritte vermehrte Auflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1851, pages 422-423.


by (Johann) Gottfried Kinkel (1815 - 1882)
1.
Language: English 
I have viewed many a land,
   I have seen many a nation of people;
May evil befall me
   If I be not willing to confess it loudly:
I have never taken pleasure in
       The customs of foreign lands;
       Therefore I say it freely:
German customs are above all others!

From the Elbe [river] to the Rhine,
   From the Rhine to Hungary
The priority of [all] nations
   That I have recognized in the world
May be strength and pure love,
       Fearless faithfulness,
       Courage, that dares everything;
Germany always keeps these well in mind.

Germany, you shall be a power
   Over every other nation on earth,
As the leaves of the oak in the grove
   Swell above all the tree-tops.
May in wild swaying
       Nation upon nation perish,
       You shall remain standing firmly,
Germany's strength shall not waver!

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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Subtitle: "(Song of Barbarossa)"

Translations of title(s):
"Deutschland über Alles" = "Germany above all else"
"Manches Land hab' ich gesehen" = "I have viewed many a land"



This text was added to the website: 2020-02-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 136

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Wem Liebe Rosen bringt  [sung text not yet checked]
by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Wem Liebe Rosen bringt", op. 31 (Fünf Männerchöre) no. 2, published 1894, lines 7,8 [ ttbb chorus ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[ ... ]
Wem Liebe Rosen bringt, die Freundschaft Kränze flicht, 
der ist den Göttern gleich und braucht den Himmel nicht!"

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Confirmed with Franz von Kleist, Zamori oder die Philosophie der Liebe in Zehn Gesängen, Berlin: bei Friedrich Vieweg dem Ältern, 1793, page 195.


by Franz Alexander von Kleist (1769 - 1797)
2. He to whom love brings roses
Language: English 
[ ... ]
He to whom love brings roses, friendship twines wreaths,
he is like the gods and has no need of heaven!"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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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This text was added to the website: 2022-05-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 69

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Komm! geh mit mir in's Waldesgrün  [sung text not yet checked]
by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Komm! geh mit mir in's Waldesgrün", op. 31 (Fünf Männerchöre) no. 3, published 1894 [ ttbb chorus ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Komm'! Geh' mit mir in's Waldesgrün,
Ich muß ein Wörtchen dir vertrauen!
Doch sieh' dort erst die Rosen blüh'n,
Die Täubchen ihre Nester bauen!

Leg' erst dein Haupt in Sonnenschein,
Und hör' die Nachtigallen schlagen!
Blick' in den Himmel erst hinein!
Erst dann sollst du mir Antwort sagen!

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Confirmed with Otto v. Redwitz, Amaranth, Mainz: Verlag von Kirchheim und Schott, 1849, page 14.


by Oscar von Redwitz-Schmölz (1823 - 1891)
3. Come! Go with me to the green wood
Language: English 
Come! Go with me to the green wood,
I have a little something to confide in you!
But first look there at the roses blooming,
The doves are building their nest!

First rest your head in the sunshine,
And hear the nightingales singing!
First look up into the sky!
Not until then should you give me an answer!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2012 by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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This text was added to the website: 2012-11-15
Line count: 8
Word count: 58

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Im Mai soll man nichts üben, als lieben  [sung text not yet checked]
by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Im Mai soll man nichts üben, als lieben", op. 31 (Fünf Männerchöre) no. 4, published 1894 [ ttbb chorus ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Kein' [schöner]1 Zeit auf Erden ist,
Als wie die Zeit im Maien;
Kein höher Freud auf Erden ist,
Als gehn im Mai zu Zweien, zu Zweien,
Im Herzen lauter Sonnenschein
Durchwandern Wiese, Feld und Hain
Und gar nichts weiter üben
Als lieben, nur lieben!

Schon ist der holde Mai gekehrt,
Die Lüftlein wehen linde,
Und ward dir noch kein Lieb beschert,
So such dir eins geschwinde, geschwinde!
Die Vöglein singens früh und spat:
So ist's bestimmt in Gottes Rath,
Im Mai soll man nichts üben,
Als lieben, nur lieben!

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Confirmed with Harfe und Leyer. Jahrbuch lyrischer Originalien, herausgegeben von Karl Barthel und Ludwig Grote, Hannover: Karl Rümpler, 1854, page 204.

1 Samson: "schönre'"; further changes may exist not shown above.

by Julius Karl Reinhold Sturm (1816 - 1896)
4.
Language: English 
There is no lovelier time on earth
Than the time in May;
There is no greater joy on earth
Than to walk as a twosome, a twosome in May,
With pure sunshine in one's heart
To wander through meadow, field, and grove
And to practise nothing
But loving, only loving!

Lovely May has already returned,
The breezes blow gently,
And if a love has not yet been bestowed upon you,
Then seek one quickly, quickly!
The birdlets sing it early and late:
It must surely be thus in God's counsel,
In May one should practise nothing
But loving, only loving!

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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Translations of title(s):
"Der Mai" = "May"
"Im Mai" = "In May"
"Kein schöner' Zeit auf Erden ist" = "There is no lovelier time on earth"
"Mailied" = "May-song"
"Mailiedchen" = "Little May-song"



This text was added to the website: 2020-10-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 100

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
5. Der Pfropfenzieher  [sung text not yet checked]
by Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Der Pfropfenzieher", op. 31 (Fünf Männerchöre) no. 5, published 1894 [ ttbb chorus ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag
Language: German (Deutsch) 
   Nun lasst uns tapfer brechen
   Den Rheinweinflaschen den Hals
   Und füllt mit goldnen Bächen
   Die Höhlung des Krystalls.
   Erhebt euch von dem Tische
   Und steht in Reih' und Glied
   Und singt das ewig frische,
   Uralte Zecherlied:
Zum Zippel, zum Zappel, zum Kellerloch 'nein,
Alles muss vertrunken sein!

   Der diesen Spruch ersonnen,
   Ein frommer Ritter was,
   Der lieber denn am Bronnen
   Bei vollen Fässern sass,
   Und als der letzte Gulden
   Aus seinem Beutel schied,
   Da machte er fröhlich Schulden
   Und sang sein altes Lied: 
Zum Zippel, zum Zappel, zum Kellerloch 'nein, 
Alles muss vertrunken sein!

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Confirmed with Rudolf Baumbach, Spielmannslieder, Leipzig: Verlag von A. G. Liebeskind, 1883, pages 53-55.


by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905)
5. The corkscrew
Language: English 
   Now let us valiantly break
   The necks of the bottles of Rhine-wine
   And fill with golden streams
   The hollows of the crystal goblets.
   Arise from the table
   And stand in rank and file
   And sing the ever-new,
   Ancient carousing song:
Zip, zap, into the cellar hole,
Everything must be drunk up!

   The man who thought of this verse
   Was a devout knight,
   Who preferred to sit
   By full casks rather than by the water-well,
   And when the last guilder
   Had taken leave of his moneybag,
   He gaily went into debt
   And sang his old song:
Zip, zap, into the cellar hole,
Everything must be drunk up!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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: 

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Translations of title(s):
"Das Testament" = "The will"
"Der Pfropfenzieher" = "The corkscrew"
"Der Propfenzieher" = "The corkscrew"
"Pfropfenzieher" = "Corkscrew"

Translator's note to lines 9 and 18: "Zippel" and "Zappel" are nonsense syllables, hence the translation reads as nonsensical, too.



This text was added to the website: 2022-05-23
Line count: 20
Word count: 107

Translation © by Sharon Krebs