La nuit | Je te chante fissure sauvage

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by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Die Nacht

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Dich sing ich wilde Zerklüftung,
Im Nachtsturm
Aufgetürmtes Gebirge;
Ihr grauen Türme
Überfließend von höllischen Fratzen,
Feurigem Getier,
Rauhen Farnen, Fichten,
Kristallnen Blumen.
Unendliche Qual,
Daß du Gott erjagtest
Sanfter Geist,
Aufseufzend im Wassersturz,
In wogenden Föhren.

Golden lodern die Feuer
Der Völker rings.
Über schwärzliche Klippen
Stürzt todestrunken
Die erglühende Windsbraut,
Die blaue Woge
Des Gletschers
Und es dröhnt
Gewaltig die Glocke im Tal:
Flammen, Flüche
Und die dunklen
Spiele der Wollust,
Stürmt den Himmel
Ein versteinertes Haupt.

First appeared in Der Brenner, 1914/1915.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Die Nacht", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Gesang des Abgeschiedenen [author's text checked 1 time 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 Stephan Baekers , "Die Nacht", from Die Tageszeiten, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
by François Glorieux , "Die Nacht", published 1967, from Traklgedichte, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "The night", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "La nuit", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2007-09-22
Line count: 27
Word count: 79

La nuit

Language: French (Français) after the German (Deutsch)

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Je te chante fissure sauvage,
Dans la tempête nocturne,
Sur les montagnes empilées ;
Vous, tours grises
débordant de grimaces infernales,
Animaux de feu,
Âpres fougères, sapin,
Fleurs de cristal.
Torture infinie
Qui te fait chasser Dieu,
Douce âme,
expirant dans la chute d'eau,
Dans les pins ondoyants.

Autour les feux des peuples
montent en flammes d'or.
La fiancée du vent, embrasée,
Se précipite ivre de mort
Sur la falaise noire,
La vague bleue 
du glacier
Et la cloche de la vallée
Grondent puissamment :
Flammes, malédictions,
Et les sombres
Jeux de la luxure,
Une tête pétrifiée
Prend d'assaut le ciel.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Pierre Mathé, (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:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Die Nacht", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Gesang des Abgeschiedenen
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2010-05-09
Line count: 27
Word count: 99