Grablied
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Der Bergmann bebt vor'm Tode nicht,
Er kennt ihn allzugut,
Und ist verfahren seine Schicht,
So löscht des Lämpchens Glut.
Beendet hast auch du den Gang,
Das Lämpchen löschte aus,
Und nie mehr ruft des Glöckleins Klang
Zum Stollen dich hinaus.
Der Muttererde ganz allein
Gehörtest du nur an,
Von Morgengold und Sonnenschein
War nichts auf deiner Bahn.
Nun hast du bloß getauscht um Nacht
Die Nacht die dich umgab,
Und wohnest statt im finstern Schacht
Nunmehr im finstern Grab.
Das ist kein Wandel der erschreckt,
Du bleibst der Nacht ja treu,
Wie oder wo sie dich bedeckt,
Das ist wohl einerlei.
Es sagt's in deinem Angesicht
Ja noch der fromme Muth:
Der Bergmann bebt vor'm Tode nicht,
Er kennt ihn allzugut.
Confirmed with Aus der Teufe. Bergmännische Dichtungen von Dr. Johann Nep. Vogl, zweite vermehrte Auflage, Wien: Verlag von Carl Gerold's Sohn, 1856, pages 66-67
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , title 1: "Song of the grave", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2016-02-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 122
Song of the grave
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
The miner does not tremble at death,
He knows it all too well,
And when his shift is over
The glow of his little lamp goes out.
You, too, have run your course,
The glow of the little lamp is extinguished,
And never again shall the sound of the little bell call you
Out of the entrance of the mine.
All alone to mother earth
You now belong,
Of the gold of morning and sunshine
There was nothing upon your life’s path.
Now you have only exchanged for night
The night that surrounded you,
And instead of in the dark mineshaft you now
Reside in the dark grave.
That is no change that shocks you;
You remain true to the night,
How and where it covers you,
That is all the same.
For the pious courage in your face
Still reveals it:
The miner does not tremble at death,
He knows it all too well.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2016-02-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 155