by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Dienst
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG
Im Anfang herrschten jene frommen Fürsten,
Feld, Korn und Pflug zu weihen und das Recht
Der Opfer und der Maße im Geschlecht
Der Sterblichen zu üben, welche dürsten
 
Nach der Unsichtbaren gerechtem Walten,
Das Sonn und Mond im Gleichgewichte hält,
Und deren ewig strahlende Gestalten
Des Leids nicht kennen und des Todes Welt.
 
Längst ist der Göttersöhne heilige Reihe
Erloschen, und die Menschheit blieb allein,
In Lust und Leides Taumel, fern vom Sein,
Ein ewiges Werden ohne Maß und Weihe.
 
Doch niemals starb des wahren Lebens Ahnung,
Und unser ist das Amt, im Niedergang
Durch Zeichenspiel, durch Gleichnis und Gesang
Fortzubewahren heiliger Ehrfurcht Mahnung.
 
Vielleicht, daß einst das Dunkel sich verliert,
Vielleicht, daß einmal sich die Zeiten wenden,
Daß Sonne wieder uns als Gott regiert
Und Opfergaben nimmt von unsern Händen.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   H. Creuzburg 

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Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 335-336.


Text Authorship:

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-05-03
Line count: 20
Word count: 132

Service
NOTE: the footnotes have been removed from this text; return to general view
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
In the beginning reigned those pious princes,
In order to dedicate field, wheat and plow,
And to practise justice of the offerings and measures
In the race of mortals, who thirst
 
For the righteous workings of the Invisible Ones
That hold sun and moon in balance,
And whose eternally radiant figures
Know not the worlds of suffering and of death.
 
The holy of line of the sons of gods has long
Been extinguished, and mankind remained alone
In the frenzy of joy and suffering, far from Being,
An eternal Becoming without moderation and consecration.
 
But the intimation of true life never died,
And in the decline it is our duty to continue
To preserve the exhortation of holy awe
Through a play of symbols, through parable and song.
 
Perhaps darkness shall one day dissipate,
Perhaps once more the times shall change,
So that the sun shall again reign over us as god
And accept offerings from our hands.

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Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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: 2016-08-09
Line count: 20
Word count: 159