by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
Translation © by Peter Palmer

Stimme des Windes
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG FRE
In Schlummer ist der dunkle Wald gesunken,
Zu träge ist die Luft, ein Blatt zu neigen,
Den Blütenduft zu tragen, und es schweigen
Im Laub die Vögel und im Teich die Unken.

Leuchtkäfer nur, wie stille Traumesfunken
Den Schlaf durchgaukelnd, schimmern in den Zweigen,
Und süßer Träume ungestörtem Reigen
Ergibt sich meine Seele, schweigenstrunken.

Horch! überraschend saust es in den Bäumen
Und ruft mich ab von meinen lieben Träumen,
Ich höre plötzlich ernste Stimme sprechen;

Die aufgeschreckte Seele lauscht dem Winde
Wie Worten ihres Vaters, der dem Kinde
Zuruft, vom Spiele heimwärts aufzubrechen.

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):

  • ENG English (Peter Palmer) , "Voice of the wind", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "La voix du vent", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2007-09-28
Line count: 14
Word count: 93

Voice of the wind
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
The dark forest is sunk in slumber,
The air is too sluggish to stir a leaf
Or carry the scent of blossom, and the birds
Are silent in the foliage, and the ducks on the pond.

Only fireflies, like the quiet sparks of a dream,
Flitting through one's sleep, shimmer in the branches,
And to an unbroken dance of sweet dreams
My soul gives itself up, drunk with silence.

Listen! there's a sudden rushing in the trees
That calls me away from my precious dreams,
Abruptly I can hear earnest voices speaking;

The startled soul pays heed to the wind
As to words from its father, calling to the child
To leave off playing and head for home.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Peter Palmer, (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:

 

This text was added to the website: 2009-03-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 118