Southward | The clouds scud southward

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Nach Süden

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Nach Süden treibt der Wolken Zug,
nach Süden lenkt der Vögel Flug,
O könnt' ich diesem Tal entfliehn,
mit euch in die leuchtende Ferne ziehn,
frei, wie ihr Wolken und Vögelein:
wie glücklich wollt' ich sein!

O hätt' ich Flügel an der Brust,
ich schwäng' mich auf in sel'ger Lust,
ich flöge singend ohne Ruh
dem Süden, dem lachenden Süden zu,
mit euch, ihr Wolken und Vögelein:
wie glücklich wollt' ich sein!

Ich bin gebannt auf diese Flur;
o Sehnsucht, du hast Flügel nur,
führst nur im Traum mich weit, so weit,
nach ferner blühender Herrlichkeit.
Lebt wohl, ihr Wolken und Vögelein,
o könnt' ich mit euch sein!

Text Authorship:

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [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 Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Nach Süden", op. 251 (4 Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published <<1872 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: C.F. Peters [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Southward", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Peter Donderwinkel

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 108

Southward

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The clouds scud southward,
Southward goes the flight of the birds,
Oh could I escape from this valley,
Could travel with you into the radiant distance,
Free, like you clouds and birds:
How happy I would be!

Oh had I wings attached to my breast,
I would swing myself aloft in blissful joy,
Singing ceaselessly, I would fly
Southward, to the smiling south,
With you, you clouds and birds:
How happy I would be!

I am forced to stay upon this meadow;
Oh yearning, only you have wings,
Only in dreams you lead me far, so far,
To distant blossoming glories.
Farewell, you clouds and birds,
Oh could I be with you!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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 Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2020-06-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 112