The yellow foliage trembles

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Das gelbe Laub erzittert

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT CHI ENG ENG FRE

Das gelbe Laub erzittert, 
Es fallen die Blätter herab; 
Ach, alles, was hold und lieblich, 
Verwelkt und sinkt ins Grab. 

Die Wipfel des Waldes umflimmert 
Ein schmerzlicher Sonnenschein; 
Das mögen die letzten Küsse 
Des scheidenden Sommers sein. 

Mir ist, als müsst ich weinen 
Aus tiefstem Herzensgrund; 
Dies Bild erinnert mich wieder
An unsre Abschiedsstund'. 

Ich musste von dir scheiden, 
Und wusste, du stürbest bald; 
Ich war der scheidende Sommer, 
Du warst der kranke Wald.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• E. Grieg • K. Reinecke • L. Thuille

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Text Authorship:

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1828-1844 , no. 8 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 79

The yellow foliage trembles

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The yellow foliage trembles,
The leaves fall;
Ah, everything that was fair and lovely
Wilts and sinks into the grave.

Around the treetops in the forest
A painful sunshine flickers;
That might well be the last kisses
Of the departing summer.

I feel as if I must weep
From the deepest depths of my heart;
This image reminds me again
Of the hour of our parting.

 I had to leave you,
And knew that you would soon die;
I was the departing summer,
You were the dying forest.

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Translations of titles:
"Abschied" = "Farewell"
"An Kitty" = "To Kitty"
"Das gelbe Laub erzittert" = "The yellow foliage trembles"
"Das welke Laub erzittert" = "The limp foliage trembles"
"Der scheidende Sommer" = "Departing summer"
"Herbst" = "Autumn"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1828-1844 , no. 8
- Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website: 2025-11-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 98