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Hinab, ihr Brüder! in den Schacht! Hinab mit frohem Mut! Es ist ein Gott, der für uns wacht, Ein Vater groß und gut! Stimmt an den hellen Saitenklang Zu ehren unsern Gott! Beginnt den frohen Lobgesang Dem Retter in der Noth! Wer seiner Huld und Macht vertraut, Der, Brüder! zittert nicht Vor der Gefahr, dem Tode schaut Er muthig ins Gesicht! Ist unter uns ein feiger Knapp, Der nicht vertraut auf ihn; Der steige nicht mit uns hinab - Werf' Hark' und Fäustel1 hin! Doch nein voll Mutes fahren schon Wir bei der Lampe Schein. Mit Jubelvollem Lautenton, In unsre Gruben ein. Wohlan! Seid ämsig im Beruf, Wenn Freud' und Hoffnung winkt, Wann Goldstuff' hier, dort Silberstuff' Euch hell entgegenblinkt! Steigt immer tiefer, sonder Graun! Grabt tiefer in den Schacht! Auf! Wollt ihr reiche Stuffen haun; So grabt und haut mit Macht! Ermüdet nicht! Sie kommt fürwahr Die Stunde, die uns lohnt! Den Schweiß, den Muth in der Gefahr Mit gold'ner Beute lohnt. Er aber, der für uns gewacht Und Unglük abgewandt - Er führt uns wieder aus dem Schacht Mit väterlicher Hand! Und ob die Erd' erbebt und kracht', Und stürzt' auf uns herab - Vergrüb' uns tief in Schutt und Nacht Und würde unser Grab! Sei's, Brüder, nimmer zagen wir! Wir segnen unser Loos! Wir sterben im Beruf, und dir, O Muttererd', im Schoos! -
Confirmed mith Gedichte von Gotthold Friedrich Stäudlin. Zweiter Band. Stuttgart, gedrukt bei den Gebrüdern Mantler, auf Kosten des Verfassers. 1791, pages 153-156.
1 In der Bergmannssprache: Hammer. [note by Stäudlin]Authorship:
- by Gotthold Friedrich Stäudlin (1758 - 1796), "Bergknappenlied" [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), "Bergknappenlied", D 268 (1815) [ TTBB quartet and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Cançó dels minaires", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Mijnwerkerslied", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Miner's song", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Mining song", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant des mineurs", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Canto dei minatori", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-11
Line count: 44
Word count: 227
Down, brothers, into the pit! Down with a cheerful attitude! There is a God who is watching over us, A great and good father! Strike up the bright note on the strings To honour our God! Begin the jolly song of praise To our deliverer in emergencies! Anyone who puts their trust in His grace and power, Brothers, he will not shudder In front of danger, he will look death Courageously in the face! If amongst us there is a cowardly miner Who does not trust Him, Let him not climb down with us - Let him throw his pick and hammer away! But no, we shall travel full of courage Following the light of the lamp. With a celebratory note on the guitar We shall go down into the shaft. Come on! Take your calling seriously, When joy and hope beckon to you, When a gold seam here, a silver seam there, Shine brightly in your faces! Keep climbing, further down, without fear! Dig deeper into the shaft! Up! If you want to hack out rich stuff, You need to dig and hack with strength! Don't give up! It is definitely coming, The hour that will make it all worthwhile! The sweat, the courage in the face of danger, Will be paid pack with golden booty. But He, the one who looks out for us And protects us from accidents - He will lead us back out of the mine With a fatherly hand! And even if the Earth quakes and breaks And collapses on top of us - It will bury us deep in rubble and night And become our grave! Come on, brothers, we shall never hesitate! We bless our lot! We shall die in our calling, and in you, Oh mother Earth, in your womb! -
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Malcolm Wren, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Gotthold Friedrich Stäudlin (1758 - 1796), "Bergknappenlied"
This text was added to the website: 2017-07-10
Line count: 44
Word count: 300