GOD, who gave iron, purposed ne’er | |
| That man should be a slave: | |
| Therefore the sabre, sword, and spear | |
| In his right hand He gave. | |
| Therefore He gave him fiery mood, | 5 |
| Fierce speech, and free-born breath, | |
| That he might fearlessly the feud | |
| Maintain through life and death. | |
| |
| Therefore will we what God did say, | |
| With honest truth maintain, | 10 |
| And ne’er a fellow-creature slay, | |
| A tyrant’s pay to gain! | |
| But he shall fall by stroke of brand | |
| Who fights for sin and shame, | |
| And not inherit German land | 15 |
| With men of German name. | |
| |
| O Germany, bright fatherland! | |
| O German love, so true! | |
| Thou sacred land, thou beauteous land, | |
| We swear to thee anew! | 20 |
| Outlawed, each knave and coward shall | |
| The crow and raven feed; | |
| But we will to the battle all— | |
| Revenge shall be our meed. | |
| |
| Flash forth, flash forth, whatever can, | 25 |
| To bright and flaming life! | |
| Now all ye Germans, man for man, | |
| Forth to the holy strife! | |
| Your hands lift upward to the sky— | |
| Your heart shall upward soar— | 30 |
| And man for man, let each one cry, | |
| Our slavery is o’er! | |
| |
| Let sound, let sound, whatever can, | |
| Trumpet and fife and drum, | |
| This day our sabres, man for man, | 35 |
| To stain with blood we come; | |
| With hangman’s and with Frenchmen’s blood, | |
| O glorious day of ire, | |
| That to all Germans soundeth good— | |
| Day of our great desire! | 40 |
| |
| Let wave, let wave, whatever can, | |
| Standard and banner wave! | |
| Here will we purpose, man for man, | |
| To grace a hero’s grave. | |
| Advance, ye brave ranks, hardily— | 45 |
| Your banners wave on high; | |
| We ’ll gain us freedom’s victory, | |
| Or freedom’s death we ’ll die! | |
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