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by Lev L'vovich Kobylinsky (1889 - 1947), as Ellis
Translation Singable translation by Berthold Feiwel (1875 - 1937)

Рождение Арфы
Language: Russian (Русский)  after the English 
Одно я чудесное знаю преданье,
У моря кудрявая нимфа жила,
Томилась бедняжка тоской ожиданья
И горькие слёзы о милом лила...

Но тщетно слезами она орошала
Волнистые пряди роскошных кудрей
И тщетно рыдающей песней своей
Пловцов задремавших от сна пробуждала...

Но сжалились боги, и чудо свершилось,
Вдруг арфа явилась из тела ея,
Волос её пышных волна превратилась 
В волшебные струны, печально звеня...

Пусть время несётся, но с той же тоскою 
Рокочет и стонет и дышет струна,
Когда я до арфы дотронусь рукою,
Всё таже печаль и любовь в ней слышна!

Show a transliteration: Default | DIN | GOST

Note on Transliterations

Text Authorship:

  • by Lev L'vovich Kobylinsky (1889 - 1947), as Ellis, appears in Irlandskikh Melodij [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "The origin of the harp", appears in Irish Melodies, first published 1810
    • Go to the text page.

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

  • by Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856 - 1915), "Рождение Арфы", op. 26 no. 1 (1908), published 1909 [ voice and piano ], from 10 Стихотворений из сборника Эллисъ «Иммортели» (10 Stikhotvorenij iz sbornika Ellis 'Immorteli') = 10 Poems from Ellis's Immortelles, no. 1, Berlin : Russischer Musikverlag [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Berthold Feiwel) , "Die Geburt der Harfe"


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 89

Die Geburt der Harfe
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Russian (Русский) 
Ich weiss Euch ein Märchen, so lieblich, so bange...
Einst lebt' eine Nymphe in blaukühler Flut,
Die härmt' sich in schmerzlich-verzehrendem Drange
Nach ihm, den sie liebte in qualvoller Glut...

Doch, ach, es entströmten vergebens die Tränen
Und netzten vergebens ihr Goldwellenhaar,
Und jäh nur erschreckte der Schiffsleute Schar
Ihr Lied, das aufs Meer trug ihr schluchzendes Sehnen...

Da fühlten die Götter, die hohen, Erbarmen.
Sieh: herrlich, durch himmlischen Mitleides Macht
Erwuchs eine Harfe dem Körper, dem warmen,
Und spannt sich zu Saiten des Goldhaares Pracht...

So birgt nun die Harfe für ewige Zeiten
Das herrliche, bebende, sehnende Lied,
Das Lied von der Liebe, das -- streif' ich die Saiten --
Wie Rauschen des Meers durch die Seele mir zieht.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation by Berthold Feiwel (1875 - 1937), "Die Geburt der Harfe" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in Russian (Русский) by Lev L'vovich Kobylinsky (1889 - 1947), as Ellis, appears in Irlandskikh Melodij
    • Go to the text page.

Based on:

  • a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "The origin of the harp", appears in Irish Melodies, first published 1810
    • Go to the text page.

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: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-07-12
Line count: 16
Word count: 118

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