Words: , Paul Erd­mann’s Fest, 1782 (Wir pflü­gen und wir streu­en); Clau­di­us heard the words sung by lo­cal farm­ers; trans­lat­ed them from Ger­man to Eng­lish in 1861; her ver­sion first ap­peared in A Gar­land of Songs, by Charles S. Bere, 1862.

Music: Wir Pflü­gen, , 1800; ap­peared in Lied­er für Volks­schul­en mit Mu­sik, ed­it­ed by A. L. Hop­pen­stedt (Han­over, Ger­ma­ny: 1800). The mu­sic was first pub­lished anon­y­mous­ly, then lat­er at­trib­ut­ed to Schulz.


We plow the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand;
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.

Refrain

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love.

He only is the Maker of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him, by Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children, He gives our daily bread.

Refrain

We thank Thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest, our life, our health, and food;
No gifts have we to offer, for all Thy love imparts,
But that which Thou desirest, our humble, thankful hearts.

Refrain


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