by
Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
Die Könige
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG ITA
Drei [Könige]1 wandern aus Morgenland,
Ein Sternlein führt sie zum Jordanstrand,
In Juda fragen und forschen die Drei,
Wo der [neugeborne]2 König sei?
Sie wollen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold
[Zum Opfer weihen dem Knäblein hold]3.
Und hell erglänzet des Sternes Schein,
Zum Stalle gehen die [Könige]1 ein,
Das Knäblein schaun sie wonniglich,
Anbetend neigen die [Könige]1 sich;
Sie bringen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold
Zum Opfer dar dem Knäblein hold.
O Menschenkind, halte treulich Schritt!
Die Kön'ge wandern, o wandre mit!
Der Stern [des Friedens]4, der Gnade Stern
Erhelle Dein Ziel, [wenn]5 Du suchst den Herrn,
Und fehlen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold,
Schenke Dein Herz dem Knäblein hold!
View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Peter Cornelius, Gedichte, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig: C.F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 141. Note: the footnotes below show the changes Cornelius made for his song setting.
1 Cornelius: "Kön'ge"
2 Cornelius: "neugeborene"
3 Cornelius: "Dem Kinde spenden zum Opfersold"
4 Cornelius: "der Liebe"
5 Cornelius: "so"
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The Kings", copyright ©
- ENG English [singable] (H. N. Bate) , "The three kings"
- ENG English [singable] (Elsa Ebertz) , "The Kings"
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "I Re", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 107
I Re
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch)
Tre Re vengono dall'oriente;
una stella li guida verso le rive del Giordano.
In Giudea domandano a tutti,
dove è il Re appena nato?
Vogliono offrire in dono al Bambino
oro, incenso e mirra.
E chiara splende la luce della stella:
alla stalla arrivano i Re;
guardano il Bambinello con tenerezza,
pregando si inchinano i Re;
portano oro, incenso e mirra
in dono al dolcissimo Bambino.
O creatura umana! Sia fedele il tuo passo!
I re camminano, vai con loro!
La stella dell'amore, la stella della Grazia
rischiari la tua meta, così che tu cerchi il Signore,
e se non hai oro, incenso e mirra,
dona il tuo cuore al dolcissimo bambino!
Note: this is a translation of Cornelius's sung text.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2011-01-07
Line count: 18
Word count: 112