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Nacht. Finsternis. In müder Hand Laß ich von Tages lautem Tun Abwärts zur [ewigen]1 Nacht gewandt Die Stirne ruhn. Wie still! Wie ohne Laut die Weite! Kaum rauscht im Weg ein welkes Blatt, Der Wolken dunkle Reise hat Nicht Mond, nicht Sterne zum Geleite. Langsam entgleitet meiner Brust Der arge Stachel, unbewußt Streift alles, was sie tags umgab, Die Seele ab. Was Tröstliches und Liebes ihr bekannt, Tritt aus des Traumes Wunderheimatland Vertraut hervor und neigt sich über sie. O Seelentrösterin, sei mir willkommen, Du Ahnungsvolle, deren Melodie So oft den Alp von meiner Brust genommen! Auf deine Stimme laß mich wieder, Traumtiefer Born geschmückter Lieder, Auf deiner Silbersaiten Rauschen Entrückt und traumverloren lauschen!
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 195-196.
1 Wetzel: "ew'gen"Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Inspiration", written 1902 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Wilhelm Lache , "Inspiration", 1951 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Justus Hermann Wetzel (1879 - 1973), "Inspiration" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Inspiració", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Inspiration", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Inspiration", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-09-04
Line count: 22
Word count: 115
Nuit. Obscurité. Dans mes mains lasses, Après la sonore activité du jour, Face à la nuit éternelle, Je laisse mon front tomber et se reposer. Quel calme ! Que ce lieu est sans bruit ! Une feuille morte chuinte à peine sur le chemin. Dans leur obscur voyage les nuages N'ont ni lune ni étoile pour les accompagner. Lentement s'échappe de ma poitrine, La méchante épine ; inconsciemment Tout ce qui durant le jour l'encerclait Se détache de mon âme. Tout ce qu'elle connaît du réconfort et de l'amour Émerge du merveilleux pays du rêve, Et se penche familièrement sur elle. Ô consolatrice de l'âme, sois la bienvenue, Toi, chargée de prémonitions, dont la mélodie A si souvent saisi d'angoisse mon âme ! Laisse moi à nouveau écouter ta voix, Profond puits onirique de chants chamarrés, Et écouter la musique de tes cordes d'argent, Transporté et perdu dans le rêve.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2017 by Pierre Mathé, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Inspiration", written 1902
This text was added to the website: 2017-02-08
Line count: 22
Word count: 146