Die Sonne glänzt, es blühen die Gefilde,
Die Tage kommen blütenreich und milde,
Der Abend blüht hinzu, und helle Tage gehen
Vom Himmel abwärts, wo die Tag entstehen.
 
Das Jahr erscheint mit seinen Zeiten
Wie eine Pracht, wo Feste sich verbreiten,
Des Menschen Tätigkeit beginnt mit neuem Ziele,
So sind die Zeichen in der Welt, der Wunder viele.

Note: the original poem is signed: "Mit Untertänigkeit Scardanelli, d. 24 April 1839". [Note added by Sharon Krebs, August 6, 2008]. In his madness Hölderlin seemed convinced sometimes that his name was Scardanelli. [Note added by Emily Ezust, August 6, 2008]

Text Authorship:

• by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Der Frühling", appears in Späteste Gedichte 1806-1843 [author's text not yet checked 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 Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "Der Frühling", 1982-91 [ tenor and piano ], from Hölderlin-Lieder: Erster Zyklus, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Spring", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2007-09-25
Line count: 8
Word count: 58

The sun is sparkling, the meadows are blooming,
The days arrive, rich in blossoms and mild,
The evening joins in the blooming, and bright days descend
From heaven, where the days are born.

The year appears with its seasons
In glory, where celebrations abound,
Mankind's activity begins with new goals;
Thus are the signs in the world, and wonders are many.