Heinrich Heine 1844
First published: “Die armen Weber,” Vorwärts!, Paris, July 10, 1844, p. 1;
Source: The Poems of Heine, George Bell and Sons, London, 1891, p. 395;
Translated: Edgar Alfred Bowring;
Transcribed: by Zdravko Saveski.
No tears from their gloomy eyes are flowing,
They sit at the loom, their white teeth showing:
“Thy shroud, O Germany, now weave we,
“A threefold curse we're weaving for thee,—
“We're weaving, we're weaving!
“A curse on the God to whom our petition
“We vainly address'd when in starving condition;
“In vain did we hope, and in vain did we wait,
“He only derided and mock'd our sad fate,—
“We're weaving, we're weaving!
“A curse on the King of the wealthy, whom often
“Our misery vainly attempted to soften;
“Who takes away e'en the last penny we've got,
“And lets us like dogs in the highway be shot,—
“We're weaving, we're weaving!
“A curse on our fatherland false and contriving,
“Where shame and disgrace alone are seen thriving,
“Where flowers are pluck'd before they unfold,
“Where batten the worms on corruption and mould,—
“We're weaving, we're weaving!
“The shuttle is flying, the loom creaks away,
“We're weaving busily night and day;
“Thy shroud, Old Germany, now weave we,
“A threefold curse we're weaving for thee,—
“We're weaving, we're weaving!”