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

Schon fängt es an zu dämmern
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  DUT ENG ENG
[Schon]1 fängt es an zu dämmern,
Der Mond als Hirt erwacht,
Und singt den Wolkenlämmern
Ein Lied zur guten Nacht;
Und wie er singt so leise,
Da dringt vom Sternenkreise
[Der]2 Schall ins Ohr mir sacht,
       Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
       [Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall,]3
       Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
       [Allüberall]3.

Nun suchen in den Zweigen
Ihr Nest die Vögelein,
[Die]4 Halm' und Blumen neigen
Das Haupt im Mondenschein,
Und selbst des [Mühlrads]5 Wellen
Lassen das wilde Schwellen
Und schlummern [murmelnd]6 ein.
       Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
       Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
       Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
       Allüberall.

Von Thür zu Thüre wallet
Der Traum, ein lieber Gast,
Das Harfenspiel verhallet
Im schimmernden Pallast;
Im Nachen schläft der Ferge,
Die Hirten auf dem Berge
[Halten]7 um's Feuer Rast.
       Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
       Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
       Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
       Allüberall.

Und wie nun alle Kerzen
Verlöschen durch die Nacht,
Da schweigen auch die Schmerzen,
Die Sonn' und Tag gebracht;
[Lind]8 säuseln die Cypressen,
Ein seliges Vergessen
Durchweht die Lüfte sacht.
       [Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
       Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
       Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
       Allüberall.]3

Und wo von heißen Thränen
Ein schmachtend Auge blüht,
Und wo in bangem Sehnen
Ein liebend Herz verglüht,
Der Traum kommt leis und linde
Und singt dem kranken Kinde
Ein tröstend Hoffnungslied.
       Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
       Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
       Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
       Allüberall.

[Gute]9 Nacht denn, all' ihr Müden,
Ihr Lieben nah' und fern!
[Nun]10 ruh' auch ich in Frieden
Bis glänzt der Morgenstern.
Die Nachtigall alleine
Singt noch im Mondenscheine
Und lobet Gott den Herrn.
       [Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
       Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
       Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
       Allüberall.]3

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   F. Abt •   F. Abt •   F. Lachner •   F. Lachner •   F. Lachner •   J. Rheinberger •   N. Stollewerk 

F. Abt sets stanzas 1, 4, 6 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
J. Rheinberger sets stanzas 1, 3, 6 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
F. Abt sets stanzas 1, 6 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
N. Stollewerk sets stanzas 1, 2

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel, Vierte Auflage, Berlin: Verlag von Alexander Duncker, 1845, pages 255-257.

1 Rheinberger, op. 185 no. 7: "Nun"; further changes may exist not noted above
2 Stollewerk: "Ihr"
3 omitted by Abt, op. 73
4 Stollewerk: "Und"
5 Abt, op. 73: " Mühlbachs"
6 Lachner, op. 105: "ruhig"
7 Rheinberger, op 131: "Sie halten"
8 Abt, op. 73: "Und"
9 Abt, op. 95, Lachner, op. 97, Lachner, op. 105, Rheinberger: "Gut' "
10 Abt, op. 73: "Bald"

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):

  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Corien Sleeswijk) , "Goede Nacht", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2005-07-14
Line count: 66
Word count: 320

Twilight has already commenced
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Twilight has [already]1 commenced,
The moon awakens as a shepherd
And to his cloud-lambs he sings
A song to wish them a good night;
And as he sings so softly,
From the circle of stars [the]2 sound
Comes delicately to my ears,
       Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
       [The day and its noises are past,]3
       God's love is your coverlet
       [Everywhere, everywhere.]3

Now the birdlets in the branches
Are seeking their nest,
[The]4 haulms and flowers are inclining
Their heads in the moonlight,
And the even the waves of the [millwheel]5
Leave off their wild surging
[And, murmuring,]6 they fall into slumber.
       Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
       The day and its noises are past,
       God's love is your coverlet
       Everywhere, everywhere.

From door to door wanders
The dream, a welcome guest,
The harp-playing dies away
In the shimmering palace;
In the boat the ferryman is sleeping,
The shepherds upon the mountain
Are resting beside their fire.
       Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
       The day and its noises are past,
       God's love is your coverlet
       Everywhere, everywhere.

And as all candles now
Are extinguished through the night,
The hurts that sun and day have brought
Also fall silent;
[The cypresses sough softly,]7
A blessed forgetting
Wafts gently through the air.
       [Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
       The day and its noises are past,
       God's love is your coverlet
       Everywhere, everywhere.]3

And where a soulful eye 
Blooms with hot tears,
And where a loving heart
Is consumed by uneasy yearning,
The dream comes quietly and gently
And to the sick child it sings
A comforting song of hope.
       Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
       The day and its noises are past,
       God's love is your coverlet
       Everywhere, everywhere.

Good night then, all ye weary ones,
Ye dear ones far and near!
[Now]8 I, too, shall rest in peace
Until the morning star sparkles.
The nightingale alone
Still sings in the moonlight
And praises the Lord God.
       [Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
       The day and its noises are past,
       God's love is your coverlet
       Everywhere, everywhere.]3

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Translations of titles:
"Abendstimmung" = "Sentiments at eventide"
"Gute Nacht" = "Good night"

1 Rheinberger, op. 185 no. 7: "now"; further changes may exist not noted above
2 Stollewerk: "their"
3 omitted by Abt, op. 73
4 Stollewerk: "And the"
5 Abt, op. 73: "millstream"
6 Lachner, op. 105: "And peacefully"
7 Abt, op. 73: "And the cypresses sough,"
8 Abt, op. 73: "Soon"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2025-06-28
Line count: 66
Word count: 356