Beware! | Beware! Beware!

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by Karl von Lemcke (1831 - 1913)

Translation © by Linda Godry

Gebt acht!

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

Gebt acht! Gebt acht!
Es harrt der Feind,
der schlimm es meint,
ihr Brüder wacht!
Im Westen, Süden, im Osten, Nord
sind wir uns selbst der einz'ge Hort,
gebt acht!

Gebt acht! Und baut
auf Gott und auf
des Schwertes Streich,
sonst niemand traut!
Man triebe gern ein schnödes Spiel,
nur unsre Schwäche ist ihr Ziel,
gebt acht!

Gebt acht! Seid fest
in aller Not
Bis in den Tod!
Gott nicht verlässt,
Wer treu für Recht und Wahrheit ficht,
In Ehr und Vaterlandes Pflicht.
Gebt acht!

Gebt acht! Es tagt,
zum Kampf bereit
mit Schwert und Kleid
seid unverzagt!
Und ob der Feind wie Meeressand,
wir retten doch das Vaterland!
Gebt acht!

Text Authorship:

by Karl von Lemcke (1831 - 1913) [author's text not yet checked 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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Gebt acht!", op. 41 (Fünf Lieder) no. 5 (1861/2?), published 1867 [ TTBB chorus ], Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Alerta!", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Geef acht!", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Linda Godry) , "Beware!", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Attention !", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2005-08-29
Line count: 28
Word count: 112

Beware!

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Beware! Beware!
The enemy awaits you,
Meaning you ill,
Brothers beware!
Whether in the west, east, south or north
We have to watch out for ourselves,
Beware!

Beware! And trust
in God and in
the sharpness of your swords -
nothing else!
They would like to give us a nasty surprise
And aim at our weak spot,
Beware!

Beware! Remain steadfast
Whatever happens
And until death comes!
God will help those
Who fight for right and truth,
Doing their duty for their country as honour demands.
Beware!

Beware! It dawns
Ready for fight
In uniform and sword in hand
Be confident!
And even if the enemy comes in full force like sand on the shores,
We will yet protect the land of our fathers.
Beware!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2007 by Linda Godry, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Karl von Lemcke (1831 - 1913)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2007-06-24
Line count: 28
Word count: 124