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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

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by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Die Nacht war schwarz, die Luft war...
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
Die Nacht war schwarz, die Luft war schwül,
Ich fand nicht Schlaf auf meinem Pfühl,
Mein Sinn ward trüb und trüber: 
Da schritten die Tage der alten Zeit
Zu langem, langem Zug gereiht
Wehklagend mir vorüber: 

"Du hattest den Lenz und du hast ihn entlaubt,
Du hattest das Heil und du hast nicht geglaubt,
Du hattest ein Herz zum Lieben, 
Du hast es vertändelt mit eitlem Schein;
Nun bist du zuletzt allein, allein,
Mit deinem Jammer geblieben."

"Und wie du ringst in bangem Gebet,
Es ist zu spät, es ist zu spät, 
Du darfst von Rast [nicht]1 wissen:
Dein einsam Herz ist dein Gericht." --
Ich aber drückte mein Angesicht
Lautweinend in die Kissen.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   F. Lachner •   F. Lachner 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel, Vierzehnte Auflage, Berlin: Verlag von Alexander Duncker, 1849, page 144.

1 Lachner: "nichts"

Text Authorship:

  • by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Reue" [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 H. Fuchs , "Die Reue", op. 3 [ baritone or alto and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Emil Hess , "Reue", op. 8 (Fünf Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 5, published 1893 [ medium voice and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Reue" [ voice and piano ], confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Reue", op. 84 (Sieben Lieder für eine Bass- oder Altstimme mit begleitung des Piano-Forte) no. 2, published 1847 [ bass or alto and piano ], Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Charles Mikuli (1819 - 1897), "Die Reue", op. 30, published 1880 [ baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Amalie Karoline Luise Scholl (1823 - 1879), "Reue", published 1864 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder von E. Geibel, no. 1, Dresden, Friedel [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Bertha Frensel Wegener-Koopman (1874 - 1953), "Reue", published 1909, from Vier Lieder, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Reue", op. 18 no. 5 (1893), published 1896 [ voice and piano ], from Severa. Sechs ernste Lieder, no. 5, Berlin, Fürstner [sung text not yet checked]

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 114

The night was black, the air was humid
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
The night was black, the air was humid,
I could not find sleep upon my pillow,
My spirit became bleary and more bleary:
Thereupon the days of olden times,
Arrayed into a long, long train,
Strode past me wailing in sorrow:

"You had springtime and you tore off its leaves,
You had salvation and you did not believe,
You had a heart for loving,
You frittered it away with vain illusion;
Now at last you remain,
Alone, alone with your misery."

"And as you wrestle in anxious prayer,
It is too late, it is too late,
You may know nothing of rest:
Your lonely heart is your judgement." --
But, weeping loudly, I pressed
My face into my pillows.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of title(s):
"Die Reue" = "Rue"
"Reue" = "Rue"


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.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Reue"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2022-06-16
Line count: 18
Word count: 118

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