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Translated by J. S. Blackie
WHAT fires from the night-clad far heights flare, | |
| Like flames from the altar ascending? | |
| A burden of prophecy hangs on the air, | |
| As a heralding angel were treading there, | |
| And voices of triumph are blending: | 5 |
| On night’s dark wings rides Victory,— | |
| Leipzig, sing ye! sing ye the fight of the free! | |
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| Our hoary sires of the ancient day, | |
| When Varus was routed by Hermann, | |
| The Kaisers that taught haughty Rome to obey, | 10 |
| That hunted the Huns and the Turks away, | |
| And made Europe free by the German: | |
| They echo the strain with solemn glee, | |
| Leipzig’s thunder pealeth,—the nations are free! | |
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| Brave hearts that believed in bright freedom’s day, | 15 |
| When Deutschland in slavery languished, | |
| Who at Lützen, at Bautzen, stood stiffly at bay, | |
| Till Dennewitz covered the Frank with dismay, | |
| Who at Katzbach the elements vanquished; | |
| The hope of your hearts your eyes now see, | 20 |
| Leipzig, sing ye!—Leipzig and Germany free! | |
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| And they in the dubious morn who fell | |
| In fight for the land of their fathers, | |
| The praise of the valiant our hymns shall tell, | |
| And when our tongues name whom we loved so well, | 25 |
| The fire in our bosom gathers; | |
| While they from heaven’s high canopy | |
| Sing triumphant,—Germany, Europe, is free! | |
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| Ye sons of strong sires, who for Germany stood, | |
| When the axe was uplifted to smite her, | 30 |
| Where God marks the spot to the brave and the good, | |
| This night be the oath of the freeman renewed, | |
| While mounts the flame higher and brighter! | |
| No more shall the tyrant rule Germany! | |
| Leipzig’s name shall pledge her forever,—the Free. | 35 |
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| Then bright may the flame from the dark heights shine! | |
| The fire in our hearts brighter flameth! | |
| Let German with German in brotherhood join, | |
| Till the Frank shall remeasure his step from the Rhine, | |
| And his pride the fell Corsican tameth! | 40 |
| And aye as ye march with triumphal glee, | |
| Leipzig, sing ye!—Germany, Fatherland, Free! | |
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