by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis
Translation by George MacDonald (1824 - 1905)
Muß immer der Morgen wiederkommen?
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: ENG
Muß immer der Morgen wiederkommen? Endet nie des Irdischen Gewalt? Unselige Geschäftigkeit verzehrt den himmlischen Anflug der Nacht. Wird nie der Liebe geheimes Opfer ewig brennen? Zugemessen ward dem Lichte seine [Zeit]1; aber zeitlos [und raumlos]2 ist der Nacht Herrschaft. -- Ewig ist die Dauer des Schlafs. [Heiliger Schlaf -- beglücke zu selten nicht der Nacht Geweihte in diesem irdischen Tagewerk. Nur die Toren verkennen dich und wissen von keinem Schlafe, als dem Schatten, den du in jener Dämmerung der wahrhaften Nacht mitleidig auf uns wirfst. Sie fühlen dich nicht in der goldenen Flut der Trauben -- in des Mandelbaums Wunderöl, und dem braunen Safte des Mohnes. Sie wissen nicht, daß du es bist der des zarten Mädchens Busen umschwebt und zum Himmel den Schooss macht --]3 [ahnden]4 [nicht, daß aus alten Geschichten du himmelöffnend entgegentrittst und den Schlüssel trägst zu den Wohnungen der Seligen, unendlicher Geheimnisse schweigender Bote.]3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Hindemith: "Zeit und dem Wachen"
2 Diepenbrock: "ahnen"
3 omitted by Hindemith.
4 omitted by Hindemith; Diepenbrock: "ahnen"
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis, no title, appears in Hymnen an die Nacht, no. 2 [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 Alphons Diepenbrock (1862 - 1921), "Hymne an die Nacht No. 2", 1899 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963), "Hymne" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Siegfried Matthus (1934 - 2021), "Muß immer der Morgen wiederkommen?", 1987, first performed 1988 [ baritone, string quartet and harp ], from Nachtlieder, no. 3, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Richard Wetz (1875 - 1935), "Aus „Hymnen an die Nacht”", op. 26 (Fünf Gesänge für mittlere Stimme mit Klavierbegleitung) no. 4 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig: Fr. Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Must morning always come again?", copyright ©
- ENG English (George MacDonald) , no title, appears in Rampolli: Growths from a Long Planted Root. Being Translations, New and Old, Chiefly from the German, first published 1897
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 151
Must the morning always return?
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Must the morning always return? Will the despotism of the earthly never cease? Unholy activity consumes the angel-visit of the Night. Will the time never come when Love's hidden sacrifice shall burn eternally? To the Light a season was set; but everlasting and boundless is the dominion of the Night. Endless is the duration of sleep. Holy Sleep, gladden not too seldom in this earthly day-labour, the devoted servant of the Night. Fools alone mistake thee, knowing nought of sleep but the shadow which, in the gloaming of the real night, thou pitifully castest over us. They feel thee not in the golden flood of the grapes, in the magic oil of the almond tree, and the brown juice of the poppy. They know not that it is thou who hauntest the bosom of the tender maiden, and makest a heaven of her lap; never suspect it is thou, the portress of heaven, that steppest to meet them out of ancient stories, bearing the key to the dwellings of the blessed, the silent messenger of secrets infinite.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with George MacDonald, Rampolli: Growths from a Long Planted Root. Being Translations, New and Old, Chiefly from the German, Longmans, Green & Co., London, 1897.
Text Authorship:
- by George MacDonald (1824 - 1905), no title, appears in Rampolli: Growths from a Long Planted Root. Being Translations, New and Old, Chiefly from the German, first published 1897 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis, no title, appears in Hymnen an die Nacht, no. 2
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2015-01-19
Line count: 26
Word count: 177