by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Salvador Pila

Bei Spezia
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
In großen Takten singt das Meer,
Der schwüle Westwind heult und lacht,
Sturmwolken jagen schwarz und schwer;
Man sieht sie nicht, es ist zu nacht.

Mir aber scheint: so tot und bang,
So ohne Trost und Sternegold
Durch schwüle Nacht und Sturmgesang
Sei auch mein Leben hingerollt.

Und doch ist keine Nacht so schwer
Und so voll Dunkels keine Fahrt,
Der nicht vom nahen Morgen her
Des Lichtes süße Ahnung ward.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 116-117.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A La Spezia", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Near La Spezia", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "À La Spezia", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-05-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 71

A La Spezia
Language: Catalan (Català)  after the German (Deutsch) 
En un marcat compàs canta el mar,
el xafogós vent de ponent udola i somriu,
vents de tempesta passen rabent, negres i feixucs;
no se’ls pot veure, és massa de nit.

A mi però em sembla que, talment morta i anguniosa,
talment sense conhort ni bona estrella,
a través de nits xafogoses i cant de tempestes,
ha transcorregut també la meva vida.

I tanmateix, no hi ha cap nit tan negra
ni cap viatge tan ple de foscúria
que, al apropar-se el matí,
no albiri el dolç averany de la llum.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2023 by Salvador Pila, (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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This text was added to the website: 2023-07-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 91