When it storms upon the waves
The shipman’s wife knits at home,
But her heart is yearning
Out to the wild sea.
With every wave that breaks
Foamingly upon the shore,
She thinks:  he’s shipwrecked, he’s shipwrecked, he’s shipwrecked,
He shall never return to land.

When thunder is raging wildly
The shepherd’s wife spins at home,
But her heart stretches upwards
Into the wild whirl of the weather.
With every flash that crashes
Jaggedly through the angry thunder,
She thinks: my shepherd, my shepherd, my shepherd,
Shall never come back to me.

When it quakes in the depths of the earth,
The miner’s wife sits at home,
But her faithful heart descends
Into the dark horror of the mineshaft.
With every blow that rattles
Trembling in the tottering shaft,
She thinks: buried alive, buried alive, buried alive
Is my miner in the bowels of the earth.

When the battle roars and rages,
The warrior’s wife sits at home,
But her anxious heart strays forth
Through the wild storm of the battle.
At every sound, every echo
 ...  upon the mountain wall
She thinks: my hero has fallen, fallen, fallen now
For his country.

But far across the mountains already
The storm has receded, the thunder faded away,
Listen how the intoxicated, rejoicing lark
Lets sound a victorious tirili, tirili.
Ravens, fly off! -- the heavens become blue,
Come forth, come forth -- sun!
Over the mountains, -- rejoicing lark,
Sing, sing to me – sing joy into my ear!

With cypress and laurel victory
Crowns the joyful, solemn brow.
Lord!  If he should shine again upon me
Encircled with the green of mourning!
Then, starless night, be welcomed,
The Lord has given the star,
The Lord has taken, taken, taken,
The name of the Lord be praised!