The pilgrim | Upon the arid heath

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by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Der Pilger

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Auf dürrer Heide geht
Ein armer Wandersmann,
Kein kühlend Lüftchen weht,
Das ihn erquicken kann.

Er schaut landein, landaus,
Horcht, keine Quelle fließt,
Blickt, sieht nicht Wald, nicht Haus,
So schattend ihn umschließt.

Er kann nicht weitergehn,
Er sinkt aufs dürre Moos: --
Doch sieh! auf Bergeshöhn
Erblickt er jetzt ein Schloß.

»O Kranker, freue dich!
Das nimmt dich gastlich auf!«
Er rafft zusammen sich,
Er eilt den Berg hinauf.

Und als er auf den Höhn --
Kein Schloß ersieht er mehr,
Sieht eine Wolke stehn,
Die bald hinstirbt wie er.

Text Authorship:

by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Der Pilger" [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 (Leopold) Heinrich (Picot de Peccaduc), Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843 - 1900), "Der Pilger", op. 47 (Drei Romanzen für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text not yet checked]
by Louis Samson , "Der Pilger", op. 37 no. 1, published 1893 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], from 13 Duette für Sopran und Alt mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 1, Zittau, Loebel [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The pilgrim", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le pèlerin", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2012-04-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 89

The pilgrim

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Upon the arid heath
A poor wanderer walks,
No cooling breeze is blowing
That might refresh him.

He searches everywhere,
Listens, no water spring is flowing,
Looks, sees neither forest nor house,
That would envelop him in shade.

He can go no further,
He sinks upon the dry moss: --
But look! upon the mountainous heights
He now discerns a castle.

"Oh sick man, rejoice!
That [castle] shall welcome you as a guest!"
He pulls himself together,
He hurries up the mountain.

And as he reaches the heights --
No castle he can see anymore,
He sees a cloud poised,
That, like him, soon is no more.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Der Pilger"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2013-09-12
Line count: 20
Word count: 105