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Groß ist der Herr! Die Himmel ohne Zahl
Sind Säle seiner Burg;
Sein Wagen Sturm und donnerndes Gewölk',
Und Blitze sein Gespann.
Die Morgenröth' ist nur ein Wiederschein
Von seines Kleides Saum;
Und gegen seinen Glanz ist Dämmerung
Der Sonne flammend Licht.
Er schaut mit gnäd'gem Blick zur Erd' herab:
Sie grünet, blüht und lacht.
Er schilt: es fähret Feur von Felsen auf,
Und Erd' und Himmel bebt.
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.
Note: This is the original version of the poem, recovered from Kleist's manuscript by Wilhelm Körte. Kleist's poems published earlier were edited by Karl Wilhelm Ramler and contain several changes from Ramler's hand; see below.
Composition:
- Set to music by Wilhelm Reinhard Berger (1861 - 1911), "Gross ist der Herr", op. 54 (Vier geistliche Lieder und Gesänge für gemischten Chor) no. 3, published 1894, stanzas 1-3 [ SSATBB chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Bote & Bock
Text Authorship:
- sometimes misattributed to Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim (1719 - 1803)
- by Ewald Christian von Kleist (1715 - 1759), "Hymne", written 1758, first published 1759
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "God in de natuur", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Great is the Lord! The heavens without number", copyright ©
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Dieu dans la nature", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Thierry Morice , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 68
Word count: 403
Grand est le Seigneur ! Les cieux sans nombre
Sont des pièces dans son palais,
La tempête est son chariot et les nuages plein de tonnerre
Et les éclairs sont son attelage.
L'aurore est seulement un reflet
De l'ourlet de sa robe,
Et comparé à sa splendeur elle n'est qu'un crépuscule,
La lumière flamboyante du soleil.
Il regarde d'un regard gracieux la terre,
Et il verdit, fleurit et rit.
Il menace et le feu s'élève des rochers,
Et la mer et le ciel tremblent.
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2012 by Guy Laffaille, (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) misattributed to Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim (1719 - 1803) and by Ewald Christian von Kleist (1715 - 1759), "Hymne", written 1758, first published 1759
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This text was added to the website: 2012-11-12
Line count: 16
Word count: 105