English translations of Drei Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte, opus 96

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

1. Der König in Thule  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Der König in Thule", op. 96 (Drei Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1891 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, O. Forberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es war ein König in Thule
Gar treu bis an [das]1 Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
Einen goldnen Becher gab.

Es ging ihm nichts darüber,
Er leert' ihn jeden Schmaus;
Die Augen gingen ihm über,
So oft er trank daraus.

Und als er kam zu sterben,
Zählt' er seine Städt' im Reich,
[Gönnt']2 alles [seinem]3 Erben,
Den Becher nicht zugleich.

Er saß beim Königsmahle,
Die Ritter um ihn her,
[Auf hohem]4 Vätersaale,
Dort auf dem Schloß am Meer.

Dort stand der alte Zecher,
Trank letzte Lebensgluth,
Und warf den [heil'gen]5 Becher
Hinunter in die Fluth.

Er sah ihn stürzen, trinken,
Und sinken tief ins Meer.
Die Augen täten ihm sinken;
Trank nie einen Tropfen mehr.

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, pages 187-188; and with "Faust. Ein Fragment" in Goethe's Schriften. Siebenter Band, Leipzig, bey Georg Joachim Göschen, 1790, pages 94-95. The two versions differ in stanza 5, line 3 word 3 ("heil'gen" in the first cited work, "heiligen" in the second cited work.

Note: the text was first published in a different version in Volks- und andere Lieder, mit Begleitung des Forte piano, In Musik gesetzt von Siegmund Freyherrn von Seckendorff, Dritte Sammlung. Dessau, 1782, pages 6-9; see below.

See also "Het dartele water bruiselt", a poem by Pol de Mont written to be sung to Schumann's song "Der König von Thule".

1 Lenz, Liszt: "sein"
2 Zelter: "Lies"
3 Fritze, Lenz, Liszt: "seinen"
3 Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe): "seinen"
4 Zelter: "In hohen"
5 Rheinberger: "heiligen"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
1. There was a King of Thule
Language: English 
There was a King of Thule,
faithful to the grave,
to whom his dying beloved
gave a golden goblet.

Nothing was more valuable to him:
he drained it in every feast;
and his eyes would overflow
whenever he drank from it.

And when he neared death,
he counted the cities of his realm
and left everything gladly to his heir -
except for the goblet.

He sat at his kingly feast,
his knights about him,
in the lofty hall of ancestors,
there in the castle by the sea.

There, the old wine-lover stood,
took a last draught of life's fire,
and hurled the sacred goblet
down into the waters.

He watched it plunge, fill up,
and sink deep into the sea.
His eyes then sank closed
and he drank not one drop more.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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Line count: 24
Word count: 132

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Der Soldat  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Der Soldat", op. 96 (Drei Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1891 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, O. Forberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es geht bei gedämpfter Trommel Klang;
Wie weit noch die Stätte! der Weg wie lang!
O wär' er zur Ruh und alles vorbei!
Ich glaub', es bricht mir das Herz entzwei!

Ich hab' in der Welt nur ihn geliebt,
Nur ihn, dem jetzt man den Tod doch gibt.
Bei klingendem Spiele wird paradiert;
Dazu bin auch ich kommandiert.

Nun schaut er auf zum letzten Mal
In Gottes Sonne [freudigen]1 Strahl, --
Nun binden sie ihm die Augen zu --
Dir schenke Gott die ewige Ruh'.

Es haben [die]2 Neun wohl angelegt,
Acht Kugeln haben vorbei gefegt;
Sie [zitterten]3 Alle vor Jammer und Schmerz --
Ich aber, ich traf ihn mitten [in's]4 Herz.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Adelbert von Chamisso, Dritte Auflage, Stuttgart, Ch. Hausmann'sche Antiquariats-Buchhandlung, 1835, page 156. Note: in this edition, "paradiert" is spelled "paradirt" and "kommandiert" is spelled "kommandirt".

1 Marschner: "freud'gen"
2 Schumann: "dann"
3 Furtwängler: "zittern" (? could need double-checking)
4 Schumann: "in das"

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838)
2. He walks to the sound of a muffled drum
Language: English 
 He walks to the sound of a muffled drum;
 how far the place! - how long the way!
 O if only he were at rest and everything past already!
 I think it will break my heart in two!
 
 I loved only him in the world -
 only him, whom they are now putting to death!
 To the band they parade;
 for this task I am also ordered.
 
 Now he gazes for the last time
 up at the joyous sunbeams of God's sun;
 now they blindfold his eyes -
 may God grant you eternal peace!
 
 The nine then took aim:
 eight bullets shot wide.
 They trembled, all full of misery and pain -
 but I - I shot him right through the heart.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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This text was added to the website: 2003-11-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 118

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Vor den Thüren  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Vor den Thüren", op. 96 (Drei Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1891 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, O. Forberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich habe geklopft an des Reichtums Haus;
Man reicht mir 'nen Pfennig zum Fenster heraus.
Ich habe geklopft an der Liebe Thür;
Da standen schon fünfzehn Andre dafür.
Ich klopfte leis' an der Ehre Schloß;
"Hier thut man nur auf dem Ritter zu Roß."
Ich habe gesucht der Arbeit Dach;
Da hört' ich drinnen nur Weh und Ach!
Ich suchte das Haus der Zufriedenheit;
Es kannt' es niemand weit und breit.
Nun weiß ich noch ein Häuslein still,
Wo ich zuletzt anklopfen will.
Zwar wohnt darin schon macher Gast,
Doch ist für Viele im Grab noch Rast.

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by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866)
3. Before various doors
Language: English 
I knocked at the house of wealth;
I was handed a penny through the window.
I knocked on the door of love;
There were already fifteen others in line ahead of me.
I knocked softly at the castle of honour;
"Here we open only to knights on horseback."
I looked for the house that sheltered labour;
Within I heard only cries of lamentation!
I searched for the house of contentment;
No one far and wide knew of it.
Now I still know of a quiet little house
At which I shall finally knock.
To be sure, many a guest is already abiding therein,
But in the grave there is still a resting place for many.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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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This text was added to the website: 2013-06-24
Line count: 14
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Translation © by Sharon Krebs