Saul’s song [sung] before his last battle | Soldiers and generals! When arrow or sword

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by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Sauls Lied vor seiner letzten Schlacht

(Sung text for setting by H. Marschner)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch) after the English

Our translations: ENG

Krieger und Feldherrn! Wenn Pfeil oder Schwert,
Führend die Schaaren des Herrn, mich versehrt:
Achtet des Leichnams, des Königes nicht,
Euch ruft zum Tod der Gathiter die Pflicht!

Du, der mir träget den Bogen und Schild,
Siehst du Sauls Streiter zu fliehen gewillt,
Strömen laß schnell dir zu Füßen mein Blut,
Mein sey das Loos, dem zu nah'n sie nicht Muth!

Lebt wohl, ihr Andern! -- Wir bleiben vereint,
Erbe des Thrones, mein Sohn und mein Freund!
Glanz steht und ewiger Ruhm uns bereit,
Oder -- wie Könige sterben wir heut!

Composition:

Heinrich August Marschner

Israelitsche Gesänge von Lord Byron mit Pianofortebegleitung

Text Authorship:

by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873), "Sauls Lied vor seiner letzten Schlacht", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 12

Based on:

a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "Song of Saul before his last battle", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 13, first published 1815
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Saul’s song [sung] before his last battle", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2018-06-16
Line count: 12
Word count: 89

Saul’s song [sung] before his last battle

(Sung text translation for setting by H. Marschner)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Soldiers and generals! When arrow or sword
Wound me as I lead the hosts of the Lord:
Pay no attention to the king’s dead body,
Duty calls you to bring death to the Gittites.

You, who bears my bow and my shield,
If you should see Saul’s warriors disposed to flee,
Let my blood quickly flow at your feet,
Mine be the fate, which they have not courage to approach!

Farewell, ye others! -- We remain united,
Heir to the throne, my son and my friend!
Radiance and eternal glory stands ready for us,
Or -- we die like kings today!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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 Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873), "Sauls Lied vor seiner letzten Schlacht", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 12
- Go to the text page.

Based on:

a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "Song of Saul before his last battle", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 13, first published 1815
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2018-07-18
Line count: 12
Word count: 99