by Johann Nepomuk Vogl (1802 - 1866)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Vor der Einfahrt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
Bald fahren in den Berg wir ein,
Zu machen unsre Schicht,
Vertauschend mit dem Sonnenschein
Das schwache Grubenlicht.
 
D'rum reicht noch einmal euch die Hand,
Im hellen Sonnenstrahl.
Leicht, daß ihr, schon am Grabesrand,
Sie drückt zum letztenmal.
 
Doch zag' darob kein Bergmannsherz,
Was Gott auch hat verhängt,
Nur wo im Anbruch steht das Erz
D'rauf sei der Sinn gelenkt.
 
Weithin erkling' so Schacht als Kluft
Von unsrer Fäustel Schlag,
Bis wieder uns das Glöcklein ruft
Zu fahren über Tag.
 
Doch käme einer nach der Schicht
Nicht mehr mit uns herauf,
So ruft ihm noch, weil's Bruderpflicht,
Zum Abschied ein "Glückauf!"

Confirmed with Aus der Teufe. Bergmännische Dichtungen von Dr. Johann Nep. Vogl, zweite vermehrte Auflage, Wien: Verlag von Carl Gerold's Sohn, 1856, page 11


Text 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: "Before the descent", 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: 2016-03-30
Line count: 20
Word count: 101

Before the descent
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Soon we shall descend into the mountain
To work our shift,
Trading for sunlight
The weak light of the pit.
 
Therefore give each other your hand once more
In the bright sunshine.
It could well be that already at the rim of the grave
You press this hand for the last time.
 
But no miner’s heart should grow faint at that,
No matter what God has determined for one,
One’s mind should be turned
Only to where the vein of ore begins.
 
May shaft and chasm widely resound
With the blows of our sledgehammers,
Until the little bell again calls us
To travel up toward daylight.
 
But if there were one who after the shift
No longer ascended with us,
Call to him yet, because it is your brotherly duty,
A “Good luck!” in farewell.

Text 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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This text was added to the website: 2016-03-30
Line count: 20
Word count: 135