Lyrics


Ruhn in Frieden alle Seelen,
Die vollbracht ein banges Quälen,
Die vollendet süßen Traum,
Lebenssatt, geboren kaum,
Aus der Welt hinüber schieden:
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Liebevoller Mädchen Seelen,
Deren Thränen nicht zu zählen,
Die ein falscher Freund verließ,
Und die blinde Welt verstieß:
Alle, die von hinnen schieden,
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Und der Jüngling, dem, verborgen,
Seine Braut am frühen Morgen,
Weil ihm Lieb' in's Grab gelegt,
Auf sein Grab die Kerze trägt:
Alle, die von hinnen schieden,
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Alle Geister, die, voll Klarheit,
Wurden Märtyrer der Wahrheit,
Kämpften für das Heiligthum,
Suchten nicht der Marter Ruhm:
Alle, die von hinnen schieden,
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Und die nie der Sonne lachten,
Unter'm Mond auf Dornen wachten,
Gott, im reinen Himmelslicht,
Einst zu sehn von Angesicht:
Alle, die von hinnen schieden,
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Und die gern im Rosengarten
Bey dem Freudenbecher harrten,
Aber dann, zur bösen Zeit,
Schmeckten seine Bitterkeit:
Alle, die von hinnen schieden,
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Auch, die keinen Frieden kannten,
Aber Muth und Stärke sandten
Ãœber leichenvolles Feld
In die halb entschlafne Welt:
Alle, die von hinnen schieden,
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!

Ruhn in Frieden alle Seelen,
Die vollbracht ein banges Quälen,
Die vollendet süßen Traum,
Lebenssatt, geboren kaum,
Aus der Welt hinüber schieden:
Alle Seelen ruhn in Frieden!


Translation:

Rest in peace, all souls
who have had done with anxious torment,
who have had done with sweet dreams
who, sated with life and hardly born,
have departed from this world:
all souls rest in peace!

Those who only sought for comradeship here,
more often wept but never fled
when no one was there to press
their faithful hand with an understanding look:
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

Maiden souls, full of love,
whose tears cannot be counted,
whom a false friend has abandoned,
and the blind world has disowned;
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

And the youth, to whom secretly
in early morning, his bride goes,
(for Love lies in the grave)
to carry away the extinguished taper:
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

All the souls, who, full of clarity,
became martyrs to Truth,
struggling for sacred faith
but seeking not the martyr's crown:
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

And those who never smiled at the sun,
keeping watch on the thorns beneath the moon,
to see God in the pure heavenly light
and look him just once in the face:
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

And those happy ones in the rose garden
tarrying with their joyous cups,
but then, in one horrible moment,
tasting the bitter dregs at last:
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

And those who knew no peace
but still had courage and strength to give
on fields strewn with corpses
in a world half asleep:
all who have parted from here,
all souls rest in peace!

Rest in peace, all souls
who have had done with anxious torment,
who have had done with sweet dreams
who, sated with life and hardly born,
have departed from this world:
all souls rest in peace!