Denunziantenlied [English translation]

Spying around in the earth

Is my favourite trade of all

I sniff around here, I sniff around there

I sneak around, both here, both there

With my ears, so long and vast

I always stand ready to harken

And I never miss a single word

And immediately notice everything

Great wage I receive for all this

In soothing my own conscientiousness

And our time, so dear to me

I soon shall get weighed out in gold

Thus in high honors do I stand

And the Philistine he holds me dear (1)

Neither do I feel shame nor disgrace

I am but a goodly informer (2)