by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Symbolum
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG
Des Maurers Wandeln
Es gleicht dem Leben, 
Und sein Bestreben
Es gleicht dem Handeln 
Der Menschen auf Erden.

Die Zukunft decket 
Schmerzen und Glücke. 
Schrittweis' dem Blicke,
Doch ungeschrecket 
Dringen wir vorwärts,

Und schwer und [schwerer]1
Hängt eine Hülle 
Mit Ehrfurcht. Stille 
Ruhn oben die Sterne 
Und unten die Gräber.

Betracht' sie genauer 
Und siehe, so melden 
Im Busen der Helden 
Sich wandelnde Schauer 
Und ernste Gefühle.

Doch rufen von drüben 
Die Stimmen der Geister
Die Stimmen der Meister:
Versäumt nicht zu üben 
Die Kräfte des Guten.

Hier winden sich Kronen 
In ewiger Stille,
Die sollen mit Fülle 
Die Thätigen lohnen!
Wir heißen euch hoffen.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   H. Sommer 

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe, letzter Hand, Dritter Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1828, pages 69-70.

1 Sommer: "ferne"

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):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Simbolum", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Symbolum", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 106

Symbolum
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
The mason's transformation
Is similar to life,
And his endeavours
Are similar to the works
Of the people on earth.

The future is covered
By pain and joy.
[Only] step by step to an observing gaze,
But fearlessly,
We are pressing onward,

And heavy and [heavier]1
Hangs a shroud
With reverence.  Quietly
The stars rest on high
And the graves [rest] below.

Observe them more closely
And see: thus in the breasts of heroes
Vacillating shivers
And solemn feelings 
Make themselves known.

Yet from yonder
The voices of the spirits call,
The voices of the masters:
Do not neglect to practise
The powers of goodness.

Here crowns are wrought
In eternal silence,
They shall richly reward
Those who are active!
We command you to hope.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Sommer: "distant"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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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This text was added to the website: 2020-08-13
Line count: 30
Word count: 126