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Frischauf! mein Herz, und werde Klang! Und, Seele, werde Lied! Und, Freude töne Lobgesang, Der mir im Busen glüht! Denn er, der alle Himmel rollt Und zählt das Sternenheer, Denn Gott, der Vater, treu und hold, Verläßt mich nimmermehr. Ich lag, umhüllt mit Finsterniß, Die aus der Hölle kam, Und durch die tiefste Seele riß Mit Tigerklau'n der Gram, Gebrochen war mir alle Kraft, Erloschen aller Muth, Da rief ich dem, der alles schafft: Mach's Vater, mach' es gut! Und plötzlich ward die Nacht zu Licht, Zur Wonne ward das Leid, Und wieder schaut' ich aufgericht't Des Lebens Herrlichkeit, Den blauen, lichten Sternenraum, Der Erde Blumenfeld -- Da war mein Jammer nur ein Traum, Die Welt die beste Welt. Drum dank' ich dem, der Wunder thut Und Güte für und für, Es rieselt jeder Tropfen Blut Den Lobgesang in mir, Es wird ein jeder Blick ein Stral, Der auf gen Himmel dringt, Wo tausend tausend tausend Mal Das Heilig! Heilig! klingt. Denn wie die Kindlein in dem Schooß Die treue Mutter hegt, Läßt seine Treue nimmer los, Die alles selig trägt; Und seine Liebe lockt so süß, Was Liebe mag versteh'n, Daß wir zu ihm in's Paradies Der Lust und Unschuld geh'n.
Confirmed with Gedichte von Ernst Moritz Arndt, Zweite Auflage, Berlin: Wiedmannsche Buchhandlung, 1865, pages 459-460.
Text Authorship:
- by Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769 - 1860), "Danklied", written 1843 [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 August Wilhelm Julius Rietz (1812 - 1877), "Danklied", op. 40 (Sechs geistliche Gesänge für vier Männerstimmen) no. 6, published 1873 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song of gratitude", subtitle: "1843", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2024-12-09
Line count: 40
Word count: 202
Arise briskly! my heart, and become tone, And, [my] soul, become song! And, let joy sound the song of praise That glows within my breast! For He, who unfurls all the heavens And counts the host of stars, For God, the Father, faithful and loving, Shall never leave me. I lay, shrouded in the darkness That comes from out of hell, And through my deepest soul Grief tore with the claws of a tiger; All my strength was broken, All my courage extinguished, Then I called out to Him who creates all things: Make it, Father, make it come right! And suddenly the night became light, Sorrow was transformed into bliss, And, raised up, I once more saw The glory of life, The blue, bright realm of the stars, The flowery meadow of the earth -- Then my misery was but a dream, The world the best of all worlds. Therefore, I thank Him who wreaks miracles And goodness ever and ever, Every drop of blood within me Ripples the song of praise, Every glance becomes a beam That presses upward to Heaven, Where a thousand, thousand, thousand times Holy! Holy! rings out. For as a little child is tended By a faithful mother in her lap, Thus does His faithfulness never let go, [His faithfulness] that supports everything blissfully; And His love entices so sweetly That which love may understand, That we shall come to Him in His paradise of joy and innocence!
Subtitle: "1843"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769 - 1860), "Danklied", written 1843
This text was added to the website: 2025-08-24
Line count: 40
Word count: 244