Das Sandkorn
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wir hatten uns ein Haus gebaut
von Sand, von Sand,
wir hatten freudig drauf geschaut
und seiner Festigkeit vertraut:
es stand, es stand.
Da löste sich ein Körnchen los
ganz klein, ganz klein;
da rollt und bricht es Stoss auf Stoss;
und unser Haus so schön und groß
stürzt ein, stürzt ein.
Wir sahen nun verwundert an
das Spiel, das Spiel:
ein kleines Körnlein hat's getan;
ein kleines Körnlein aber kann
doch viel, doch viel.
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 or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John H. Campbell) , "The grain of sand", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 75
The grain of sand
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
We had built ourselves a house
of sand, of sand,
we had looked joyfully on it
and trusted its solidity:
it stood, it stood.
Then, a grain detached itself
quite small, quite small;
it rolls and impacting it breaks and sunders;
and our house so beautiful and great
crumbles, collapses.
We look now in wonder on
the result, the effect:
one small grain has caused it;
one small grain can change
change much, change all.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (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:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 76