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.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Leis' rudern hier, mein Gondolier! Die Flut vom Ruder sprühn so leise laß, daß sie uns nur vernimmt, zu der wir zieh'n! O könnte, wie er schauen kann, der Himmel reden -- traun, Er spräche vieles wohl von dem, was Nachts die Sterne schau'n! Nun rasten hier, mein Gondolier! Ins Boot die Ruder! sacht! Auf zum Balkone schwing' ich mich, doch du hältst unten Wacht, O, wollten halb so eifrig nur dem Himmel wir uns weih'n, Als schöner Weiber Dienste -- trau'n, wir könnten Engel sein!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesNote: in Freiligrath's published form, this is a poem of two stanzas with four lines each.
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Row gently here" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Row gently here", subtitle: "Venetian air", appears in National Airs, first published 1822
Go to the general view
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 19
Word count: 86
Row softly here, My gondolier! Let the flood spray from the oar so quietly That only she perceives us -- She, to whom we travel! Oh if Heaven could speak As it can see -- truly, It would speak much of that Which the stars see at night! Now rest here, My gondolier! Take the oars into the boat! Gently! Up to the balcony I swing myself, But you keep watch down below, Oh, if only half as assiduously We would dedicate ourselves to Heaven, As we do to the service of beautiful women -- truly, We could be angels!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslations of titles:
"Gondelfahrer" = "Gondolier"
"Gondellied" = "Gondola-song"
"Leis rudern hier, mein Gondolier" = "Row quietly here, my gondolier"
"Row gently here" = "Row gently here"
"Venetianisches Gondellied" = "Venetian gondola-song"
"Venetianisches Lied I" = "Venetian song I"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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 Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Row gently here"
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Row gently here", subtitle: "Venetian air", appears in National Airs, first published 1822
Go to the general view
This text was added to the website: 2016-02-01
Line count: 19
Word count: 98