English translations of Drei Gesänge für eine Bassstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 187

by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911)

1. Waldlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Waldlied", op. 187 (Drei Gesänge für eine Bassstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1901 [ bass voice and piano ], Frankfurt am Main: B. Firnberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du! 
Ist es dein Grün?
Ist es dein heimlich Dunkel? 
Dein buntes Blühn?
Das irre Sonngefunkel? 
  Daß ich auf's neu stets freudetrunken 
  In deinen Zauber steh' versunken.
    Wer mag es sagen?
    [Wer's]1 [je]2 erfragen?
  [Nur singen]3 muß ich immerzu:
    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!

    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!
Ist es dein Duft?
Ist's deiner Büsche Wallen?
Die kühle Luft,
Sind's deine hohen Hallen?
  Daß es mich immer, immer wieder
  Zu dir, Geliebter, zieht hernieder.
    Wer mag es sagen,
    Wer's [je]2 erfragen?
  [Nur singen]3 muß ich immerzu:
    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!

    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!
Ist's dein Gesang?
Ist's deiner Tannen Sausen?
Dein Klagen bang?
Der alten Eichen Brausen?
  Daß Heimweh [gleich]3 mich will erfassen,
  Muß ich, o Trauter, dich verlassen.
    Wer mag es sagen
    Wer's [je]2 erfragen?
  [Nur singen]3 mich ich immerzu:
    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!

    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!
Ist's Majestät?
Ist's heimisch trautes Wesen,
Was dich durchweht,
Dich macht so auserlesen?
  Daß jauchzend dich des Sängers Lieder
  Lobpreisen immer, immer wieder!
    Wer mag es sagen,
    Wer's [je]2 erfragen?
  [Nur singen]3 muß ich immerzu:
    O Wald, o Wald,
    Wie ewig schön bist du!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874, mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 75-76.

1 Reinecke: "Wer"
2 Rohde: "zu"
3 Rohde: "Nein, singen"
3 Rohde: "bald"

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)
1. Song of the forest
Language: English 
    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!
Is it your greenery?
Is it your secret darkness?
Your colourful blooming?
The mad sparkling of the sun?
  That makes me ever anew and always
  Stand rapt in your magic, drunk with bliss.
    Who may tell,
    Who ever probe it?
  I must only always sing:
    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!

    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!
Is it your scents?
Is it the surging of your bushes?
The cool air,
Your high cathedrals?
  That again and again I am drawn
  Down to you, beloved.
    Who may tell,
    Who may ever probe it?
  I must only always sing:
    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!

    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!
Is it your singing?
Is it the whirling of your firs?
Your anxious lamentation?
The roaring of the old oaks?
  That homesickness immediately assails me,
  When I, oh lovely one, must leave you.
    Who may tell,
    Who ever probe it?
  I must only always sing:
    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!

    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!
Is it majesty?
Is it homely, comforting being
That wafts through you,
That makes you so exquisite?
  That the singer’s songs must again and again
  Praise you rejoicingly!
    Who may tell,
    Who ever probe it?
  I must only always sing:
    Oh forest, oh forest,
How eternally beautiful you are!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translations of title(s):
"Waldlied" = "Song of the forest"
"Im Wald" = "In the forest"



This text was added to the website: 2017-07-15
Line count: 52
Word count: 244

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Siehst du das Meer  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Siehst du das Meer", op. 187 (Drei Gesänge für eine Bassstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1901 [ bass voice and piano ], Frankfurt am Main: B. Firnberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Siehst du das Meer? Es glänzt auf seiner Fluth
Der Sonne Pracht;
Doch in der Tiefe, wo die Perle ruht,
Ist finstre Nacht.

Das Meer bin ich. In stolzen Wogen rollt
Mein wilder Sinn,
Und meine Lieder ziehn wie Sonnengold
Darüber hin.

Sie flimmern oft von zauberhafter Lust,
Von Lieb' und Scherz;
Doch schweigend blutet in verborg'ner Brust
Mein dunkles Herz.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Confirmed with Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel, Berlin: Verlag von Alexander Duncker, 1845, page 143.


by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
2.
Language: English 
Do you see the ocean? Upon its waters shines
The splendour of the sun;
But in the depths where the pearl rests,
It is dark night.

I am the ocean. In proud waves my wild
Spirit rolls,
And my songs pass like the gold of the sun
Over it and away.

They often flicker with magical joy,
With love and jesting;
But, concealed in my bosom, silently bleeds
My dark heart.

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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translations of titles:
"Am Meere" = "By the sea"
"Siehst du das Meer?" = "Do you see the ocean?"
"Siehst du das Meer? Es glänzt auf seiner Flut" = "Do you see the ocean? Upon its waters shines"



This text was added to the website: 2025-08-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 71

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Zecherliebe  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Zecherliebe", op. 187 (Drei Gesänge für eine Bassstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1901 [ bass voice and piano ], Frankfurt am Main: B. Firnberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Herz ist ein Becher
Voll perlendem Wein, 
Und du bist der Zecher,
Mein Liebchen vom Rhein.

Die Perlen sind Lieder,
Die Lieb' ist der Wein,
Und Liebe und Lieder
Und Herze sind dein!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Confirmed with Carl Siebels Dichtungen gesammelt von seinen Freunden, Herausgegeben von Emil Rittershaus, Berlin: G. Grote'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1877, page 49.


by Carl Siebel (1836 - 1868)
3. Drinker's love
Language: English 
My heart is a beaker
Full of pearling wine, --
And you are the drinker,
My sweetheart from the Rhine.

The pearls are songs,
Love is the wine,
And love and songs
And heart are thine!

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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-22
Line count: 8
Word count: 35

Translation © by Sharon Krebs