Sailor's maxim (Eichendorff, set by (Wilhelm Petersen, Hans Erich Pfitzner)) (The LiederNet Archive: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)

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by Josef Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wenn die Wogen unten toben

Language: German (Deutsch)

Available translation(s): ENG FRE ITA

Wenn die Wogen unten toben,
Menschenwitz zuschanden wird,
Weist mit feur'gen Zügen droben
Heimwärts dich der Wogen Hirt.
Sollst nach keinem andern fragen,
Nicht zurückschaun nach dem Land,
Faß das Steuer, laß das Zagen!
Aufgerollt hat Gottes Hand
Diese Wogen zum Befahren
Und die Sterne, dich zu wahren.

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

by Josef Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Schifferspruch", appears in Gedichte, in 6. Geistliche Gedichte [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 Wilhelm Petersen (1890 - 1957), "Spruch", op. 44 no. 7, published 1956. [
text not verified
]
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Schlussgesang", op. 28, Heft 3 no. 7 [soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and chorus], from Von deutscher Seele - Teil III - Der Liederteil, no. 7. [
text verified 1 time
]

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

ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , title 1: "Canto finale", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , title 1: "Sailor's maxim", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , title unknown, copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2004-04-28
Line count: 10
Word count: 48

Sailor's maxim

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

When the waves rage below,
[When] mankind's cunning fails,
With fiery gestures from above
The shepherd of the waves shows you the way home.
You should not ask for anyone else,
[Should] not gaze back toward the land,
Grasp the helm, leave off your apprehension!
The hand of God has unfurled
This wave so it may be sailed
And [has set] the stars to preserve you.

Petersen's title in English: "Maxim"
Pfitzner's title in English: "Final song"

Authorship

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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 Josef Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Schifferspruch", appears in Gedichte, in 6. Geistliche Gedichte

This text was added to the website: 2011-05-19
Line count: 10
Word count: 66