Im Winde, im Sturme befahr' ich den Fluß,
Die Kleider durchweichet der Regen im Guß;
Ich [lenke - ich peitsche]1 mit mächtigem Schlag
[Die Wellen]2, erhoffend mir heiteren Tag.

Die [Fluthen]3, sie jagen das [schwankende]4 Schiff,
Es drohet der Strudel, es drohet der Riff,
Gesteine entkollern den felsigen Höh'n,
Und [Fichten, sie sausen]5 wie Geistergestöh'n.

So mußte es kommen - ich hab es gewollt,
Ich hasse ein Leben behaglich entrollt;
Und schlängen die [Fluthen]3 den [dröhnenden]6 Kahn,
Ich priese doch immer die eigene Bahn.

[Es]7 tose des Wassers ohnmächtiger Zorn,
Dem Herzen entquillet ein seliger Born,
Die Nerven erfrischend - o himmliche Lust!
Dem Sturme [gebiethen]8 mit männlicher Brust.

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View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Johann Mayrhofer. Wien. Bey Friedrich Volke. 1824, page 106; and with Beyträge zur Bildung für Jünglinge. Zweites Bändchen. Wien, 1818. In der Franz Härter'schen Buchhandlung, page 325 (here with the title Der Schiffer).

Note: Schubert received Mayrhofer's texts generally in handwriting; the printed edition of Mayrhofer's poems appeared much later and presents the texts usually in a revised version.

¹ Schubert: "Ich peitsche die Wellen"
² Schubert: "Erhoffend"
³ Schubert: "Wellen"
⁴ Schubert: "ächzende"
⁵ Schubert: "Tannen erseufzen"
⁶ Schubert: "ächzenden"
⁷ Schubert: "Drum"
⁸ Schubert: "zu trotzen"

Text Authorship:

• by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Schiffer", first published 1818 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Schiffer", op. 21 (Drei Lieder) no. 2, D 536 (1817?), published 1823 [ voice and piano ], Sauer und Leidesdorf, VN 276, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El barquer", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De schipper", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The boatman", copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le marin", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il barcaiolo", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 117

In wind and storm I traverse the river,
 My clothes soaked through with the downpour;
I lash the waves with powerful blows,
 Hoping, hoping for a fine day.

 The waves, they drive the creaking ship,
 The whirlpool threatens, as does the reef.
 Rocks roll furiously down from the craggy heights,
 And firtrees sigh like lamenting ghosts.

 So it must be, and so have I willed it:
 I hate a life that unrolls comfortably;
 Even were the waves to swallow this creaking boat,
 I would still ever praise the path I have chosen!

 So let the water roar with impotent rage;
From my heart springs forth a blissful fountain,
 Refreshing the nerves - o heavenly joy,
 I stand against the tempest with a defiant chest.