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Wie tönt dein Name, Gott, Ein Donnerklang, An dieses Lebens dumpfem Thal entlang, Ein Echo weckend in den Felsenhängen, Die dräuend sich um unsre Enge drängen. Ja, du bist groß! Die Sonne kündet dich, die Königin, Der Sommer streut dir seine Rosen hin Und seine Frucht der Herbst, die Erde liegt, Ein blühend Kind, an deinen Fuß geschmiegt, Und lacht dich an. Du aber legst die Hand Ihr auf die Stirn, zu dir empor gewandt. Dein Bannerträger ist die Ewigkeit, Vor deinen Schritten rollt die ems'ge Zeit Den Teppich auf, in dessen Grund verwebt, Sich Jahr um Jahr in buntem Wechsel hebt. Die Weisheit fliegt, ein Adler, dir vorauf Und Sterne flammen, Welten blühen auf, Wenn aus der Nacht, die noch die Tiefen deckt, Dein Schöpferwort den Keim des Lebens weckt. Dein Hauch ist Leben und dein Blick ist Licht, Doch wir ertragen nicht solche Größe nicht; Dich zu begreifen, machen wir dich klein, Wir sperren dich in düstre Mauern ein, Dein heil'ges Schweigen prägen wir in Worte Der eignen Schwachheit um, und deinem Geist, Der uns zu dir die Sonnenwege weist, Versperren wir den Pfad mit enger Pforte. Mit deinem Lichte, wunderbar und rein, Vergolden spielend wir den Heil'genschein Verstaubter Puppen -- Herr, doch du bist groß! Selbst unsre Thorheit bindet uns nicht los Von deiner Liebe, deine Rechte hält In heil'gem Ernst, die du gebarst, die Welt!
Confirmed with Anna Ritter, Gedichte, Leipzig: Verlag von A.G. Liebeskind, 1898, pages 154-155.
Authorship:
- by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Hymne", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Vermischte Gedichte, no. 53 [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 Ernst Hans Fährmann (1860 - 1940), "Hymne", op. 31, published 1906 [ voice and piano or organ ], Leipzig: O. Junne [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Hymn", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2024-01-26
Line count: 37
Word count: 228
How Thy name resounds, God, A thunderclap, Along the dull vale of this life, Waking an echo from the rocky crags That crowd each other threateningly about our narrowness. Yes, Thou art great! The sun, the queen, heralds Thee, Summer strews its roses for Thee, And autumn its fruits, the earth lies, A blossoming child, nestled up to Thy foot, And smiles at Thee. But Thou layest Thy hand Upon its brow, which is turned up toward thee. Thy standard bearer is eternity, Before Thy steps, bustling Time rolls out The carpet, woven into whose design Year upon year rises in colourful variety. Wisdom, an eagle, flies before Thee And stars flame, worlds burst into bloom, When from the night, still covered by the depths, Thy creative word wakens the seed of life. Thy breath is life and Thy gaze is light, But we cannot bear such greatness; In order to comprehend Thee, we make Thee small, We confine Thee within gloomy walls, We transform Thy holy silence into words Of our own frailty, and to Thy Spirit, Who shows us the sunlit roads toward Thee, We block the path with a narrow gate. With Thy light, wondrous and pure, In play we gild the halo Of dusty puppets -- But Lord, Thou art great! Even our foolishness does not unbind us From Thy love, Thy right hand holds In holy solemnity the world to which Thou gavest birth.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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 Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Hymne", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Vermischte Gedichte, no. 53
This text was added to the website: 2024-01-26
Line count: 37
Word count: 238