sometimes misattributed to Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim (1719 - 1803) and by Ewald Christian von Kleist (1715 - 1759)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Gross ist der Herr
 (Sung text for setting by W. Berger)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG ENG FRE
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 no. 3, published 1894, stanzas 1-3 [ SSATBB chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Bote & Bock

Text Authorship:

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

Great is the Lord! The heavens without number
 (Sung text translation for setting by W. Berger)
 See original
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 Great is the Lord! The heavens without number
 are the rooms of his castle,
 his chariot is a storm, and his 
 horses, lightning and thunder.

 The dawn is but a reflection
 of the edge of his robe,
 and compared with his splendour, the sun's
 flaming light is but dusk.

 He gazes graciously down at the world,
 and it turns green, blossoms and laughs.
 He frowns, and fire stirs up from the rocks,
 and the seas and the heavens tremble.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 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.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 105