Ach, wie lang die Seele schlummert!
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Spanish (Español)
Available translation(s): CAT ENG FRE ITA
Ach, wie lang die Seele schlummert!
Zeit ist's, daß sie sich ermuntre.
Daß man tot sie wähnen dürfte,
also schläft sie schwer und bang,
Seit sie jener Rausch bezwang
Den in Sündengift sie schlürfte.
Doch nun ihrer Sehnsucht Licht
Blendend ihr in's Auge bricht:
Zeit ist's, daß sie sich ermuntre.
Mochte sie gleich taub erscheinen
Bei der Engel süßem Chor:
Lauscht sie doch wohl zag empor,
Hört sie Gott als Kindlein weinen.
Da nach langer Schlummernacht
Solch ein Tag der Gnad' ihr lacht,
Zeit ist's, daß sie sich ermuntre.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
Based on:
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):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Ai, quant de temps l’ànima ha dormit!", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Ah, how long the soul slumbers", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Quanto a lungo l'anima dorme!", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 89
Ah, how long the soul slumbers
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Ah, how long the soul slumbers!
It’s time for it to awaken.
One would think it were dead,
Since its sleep is so difficult and fearful,
As it was overcome by intoxication
From the poison of sin it sipped.
Yet [even] now the light of its yearning
Refracts dazzlingly in your eye:
It’s time for it to awaken.
It may seem to be deaf
To the angel's sweet chorus:
It listens, completely scared [by the sounds] above,
It hears God crying like a baby.
Thus after a long night’s sleep
Such a day of grace will [burst out in] laughter,
It’s time for it to awaken.
Translator's note: this is the only song in Wolf's cycle in the third person.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2015-12-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 106