Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
O wenn es wahr, daß in der Nacht, Wann alle ruhen, die da leben, Und wann die Mondesstrahlen sacht Herab auf Leichensteine schweben, O wenn es wahr ist, daß alsdann Die Gräber [leeren]1 sich, die stillen, Ruf' ich, harr' ich um Leila's willen; Zu mir, mein Lieb, heran, heran! Zeig dich, geliebter Schatten, gleich Wie du erschienest vor dem Scheiden, Wie Wintertag so kalt, so bleich, Entstellt vom letzten Todesleiden; Schweb' wie ein ferner Stern heran, Wie leiser Klang, wie Windeswehen, Wie ein Gesicht, schrecklich zu sehen, Mir alles gleich: heran! heran! Ich rufe dich, nicht darum, nein! Um jener Bosheit anzuklagen, Die tödteten den Engel mein; Nicht [Grabes Räthsel]2 zu erfragen, Nicht darum, weil mich dann und wann Der Zweifel quält... ich will nur schmerzlich Dir sagen, daß ich liebe herzlich, Daß ich ganz [dein]3! heran! heran!
Confirmed with Dichtungen von A. Puschkin und M. Lermontow. Deutsch von Theodor Opitz, Berlin, Verlag von A. Hofmann & Comp., 1859, pages 79-80.
1 Nietzsche: "öffnen"
2 Nietzsche: "Grabesrätsel"
3 Nietzsche: "dein bin"
Text Authorship:
- by Theodor Opitz (1820 - 1896), "Beschwörung", written 1828 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Заклинание", first published 1830
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Carl Goldmark (1830 - 1915), "Beschwörung", op. 20 (187-?), published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Gotthard [sung text checked 2 times]
- by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 - 1900), "Beschwörung", NWV 20 (1864) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Barbara Miller) , "Entreaty", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Elisabeth Siekhaus) , "Entreaty", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , "Užkeikimas", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 141
O if it is true, that at night, while all those alive are resting, and when the moonbeams gently Float down onto gravestones, O if it is true that then the graves open, the silent ones I call, I stay for Leila's sake. To me, my love, come out, come out! Appear, beloved shade, just As you appeared before the separation, As cold as a winter's day, as pale, Distorted from the last pains of death. Float closer as a distant star, As a gentle sound, as a light breath, As a sight horrible to see. It is all the same to me: come here, come here! I call you, not in order, no, to charge someone with a crime, that took away my angel, nor to ascertain the mystery of death1. Nor in order to, because now and then Doubt torments [me], I want only painfully to say to you, that I love you truly, That I am ever yours, come here, come here!
1 literally, "grave-riddle"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Elisabeth Siekhaus, (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 Theodor Opitz (1820 - 1896), "Beschwörung", written 1828
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Заклинание", first published 1830
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 167