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Das ist der fahle, schlummernde See, Aus dem das Leben geronnen Mit seinem thränenbeträuften Weh Und seinen vergänglichen Wonnen. Ein Traum nur paarte die irdische Pein Dem traumgeborenen Glücke, -- Und dem es entsprang, das nichtige Sein, In's Urnichts [rinnt]1 es zurücke. Gemach ersterben im eisigen All Des Lichtes zitternde Fluthen; Die ewigen Götter kommen zu Fall, Die Sonnenbälle verbluten. Und bleich verröchelt am Weltensaum Die fiebernde Episode, Und einsam klingt im unendlichen Raum Das Lied vom ewigen Tode.
Confirmed with Ernst Eckstein, In Moll und Dur, Leipzig: Verlag von Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, 1877, pages 50-51.
1 Geisler: "geht"Text Authorship:
- by Ernst Eckstein (1845 - 1900), "Nirwana", appears in In Moll und Dur, in 2. Zweite Abtheilung [author's text checked 2 times 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 Eugen (Francis Charles) d'Albert (1864 - 1932), "Nirwana", op. 3 (Zehn Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 10, published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Geisler (1856 - 1919), "Nirwana" [ alto and orchestra or piano ], from Sansara für Chor, Soli und Orchestra, no. 7, the piano reduction by Friedrich Spiro was published in 1889 by Raabe & Plothow, Berlin [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Nirvana", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-10
Line count: 16
Word count: 79
That is the pallid, slumbering lake, Out of which life has drained, With its tear-bedewed sorrow And its ephemeral joys. Only a dream paired earthly suffering With dream-born happiness, -- And that from which it arose, the futile existence, It [flows]1 back into the primal nothingness. Slowly the light's trembling floodwaters Die in the icy universe; The eternal gods come to their downfall, The round suns bleed to death. And palely at the edge of world The feverish episode wheezes to its end, And, lonely in the endless expanse, sounds The song of eternal death.
1 Geisler: "goes"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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 Ernst Eckstein (1845 - 1900), "Nirwana", appears in In Moll und Dur, in 2. Zweite Abtheilung
This text was added to the website: 2022-04-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 95