Gently wave, in the breath of the evening breeze

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by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Sanft wehn, im Hauch der Abendluft

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

Sanft wehn, im Hauch der Abendluft,
Die Frühlingshalm' auf deiner Gruft,
  Wo Sehnsuchtsthränen fallen.
Nie soll, bis uns der Tod befreit,
Die Wolke der Vergessenheit
  Dein holdes Bild umwallen.

Wohl dir, obgleich entknospet kaum,
Von Erdenlust und Sinnentraum,
  Von Schmerz und Wahn geschieden!
Du schläfst in Ruh'; wir wanken irr
Und unstätbang' im Weltgewirr
  Und haben selten Frieden.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• F. Mendelssohn

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Confirmed with Friedrich Matthisson's Gedichte, Dritte vermehrte Auflage, Zürich, 1794, bey Orell, Gessner, Füssli & Comp., page 128; with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson. Erster Theil. Tübingen, bei Cotta, 1811, page 248; and with Musen-Almanach für 1794, herausgegeben von Joh. Heinr. Voß, Hamburg, bey C.E.Bohn, page 43.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Todtenkranz für ein Kind", written 1792-93, first published 1793 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 60

Gently wave, in the breath of the...

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Gently wave, in the breath of the evening breeze,
The springtime blades of grass upon your grave,
 Where tears of longing fall.
Never, until death releases us,
Shall the cloud of oblivion
 Waft about your dear image!

It is well for you, although barely burst from your bud,
That from the pleasure of the earth and the dream of the senses,
 From pain and delusion you have departed!
You sleep in serenity, we totter madly,
Unsettled and anxiously about in the confusion of the world,
 And are seldom at peace.

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Translated titles:
"Todtenkranz für ein Kind" = "Death‑wreath for a child"
"Sanft weh'n im Hauch der Abendluft" = "Gently wave, in the breath of the evening breeze"

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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Todtenkranz für ein Kind", written 1792-93, first published 1793
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This text was added to the website: 2013-12-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 91