[Wenn]1 ich einst von jenem Schlummer,
Welcher Tod heißt, aufersteh,
Und von dieses Lebens Kummer
Frey, den [schönern]2 Morgen seh:
O dann wach' ich anders auf,
Schon am Ziel ist dann mein Lauf!
Träume sind des Pilgers Sorgen,
Großer Tag! an deinem Morgen.
 
   Hilf, daß keiner meiner Tage,
Geber der Unsterblichkeit,
Jenem Richtenden einst sage,
Er sey ganz von mir entweiht!
Auch noch heute wacht ich auf!
Dank dir, Herr, zu dir hinauf
Führ mich jeder meiner Tage,
Jede Freude, jede Plage.
 
   Daß ich gern sie vor mir sehe
[Wenn]1 ihr lezter [nun]3 erscheint.
[Wenn]1 zum [dunkeln]4 Thal' ich gehe,
Und mein Freund nun um mich weint:
Lindre dann [des Todes Pein]5,
Und laß mich den Stärksten seyn,
Mich, der ihn gen Himmel weise,
Und dich, Herr des Todes, preise!

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Klopstocks Lieder, Carlsruhe: Christian Gottlieb Schmieder, 1776, page 233. Note: the modern spelling of "lezter" is "letzter" (stanza 3, line 2, word 3)

Note: Rust's score has a typo in stanza 2, line 4, word 5 ("dir" instead of "mir")

¹ Hiller: "Wann"
² Hiller, Rust: "schönen"
³ von Paradis, Reichardt: "nur"
⁴ Hiller, von Paradis: "dunklen"
⁵ von Paradis: "die Todespein"

Text Authorship:

• by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803), "Morgenlied" [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 Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Morgenlied", op. 71 no. 3, published [1858] [ SATB chorus ], from Sechs geistliche Gesänge für gemischten Chor, no. 3, Leipzig, C.F.W. Siegel [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Morgen Lied", op. 56 (Drei deutsche Gesänge) no. 3 (1837) [sung text not yet checked]
• by Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759 - 1824), "Der Auferstehungsmorgen", 1784-6, from Zwölf Lieder auf ihrer Reise in Musik gesetzt, no. 7, note: in some editions there is no title [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Morgenlied", published 1790 [ voice and piano ], from Cäcilia: erstes Stück, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Wilhelm Rust (1822 - 1892), "Morgenlied", op. 11 no. 1 [ voice and piano ], from Drei geistliche Lieder für eine Stimme mit Begleitung des Claviers, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2008-06-13
Line count: 24
Word count: 139

   When once I shall arise
From that slumber called death,
And, free from the misery of this life,
Shall see that more beautiful morning:
Oh then I shall awaken differently,
My life's journey shall already be at its goal!
The pilgrim's worries shall be as dreams,
Great day! on your morning.
 
   Help, giver of immortality,
That none of my days
May someday tell that judge
That it was completely desecrated by me!
Today, too, I have awoken!
Thanks to Thee, Lord; may each of my days,
Every joy, every affliction
Lead me upward to Thee.
 
   That I might gladly see [my days] before me
When the last of them only appears.
When I go to the dark valley,
And my friend now weeps over me:
Soothe then the pain of death
And let me be the strongest one,
Me, who would direct him toward Heaven,
And praise Thee, who is Lord over death!