A gust of wind rushes in,
From where? From where?
Hear how it rustles in the treetops,
The pines! The pines!
Just an intense sound! – then quiet again
And the frost flutters downward.
What was that, my dear valley, what was that?
Today, for the very first time
Will your domain
Proclaim the arrival of Spring,
Soon storms will roar and howl mightily,
And Spring, Spring shall awaken.

A beam of light flames bright across the sky,
From where? From where?
See how the tree tops glisten
The pines! The pines!
Only a sudden flash! – then darkness again
And the heavens gaze sadly downward.
What was that, my dear valley, what was that?
Today, for the very first time
Will your domain
Proclaim the arrival of Spring,
Soon the sun will gleam and dazzle mightily,
And Spring, Spring shall awaken.

The snow is already retreating to the mountains
From there, from there,
Deep black, the winter calls defiance
To the pines, the pines.
Only a little more time! – Birdsong
Again will ring happy and joyfully.
Best wishes, my dear valley, best wishes!
Today, for the very first time
Will your domain
Proclaim the arrival of Spring,
Soon the streams will gush and foam mightily,
And Spring, Spring shall awaken.

Now the willows are beginning to bloom,
  Rejoice, my heart!
A birdlet is already twittering now and then,
  Rejoice, my heart!
And though it not be the lovely springtime yet
With its beautiful green and its blossoms bright,
  Who knows, overnight
  It may appear with might,
  And soon with all its joy and glory,
Only rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, my heart!

White-flecked, the brooklets are rushing down into the valley,
  Rejoice, my heart!
The sun’s beams are smiling much more bravely already,
  Rejoice, my heart!
And though in the furrows snow may yet lie,
And though frost might still injure the springtime,
  Who knows, overnight
  It may appear with might,
  And soon with all its joy and glory,
Only rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, my heart!

Truly, already I felt a balmy breeze,
  Rejoice, my heart!
On the bank a floweret nods cleverly,
  Rejoice, my heart!
And although ice be still floating upon the lakes,
And springtime wisely yet waits [to appear],
  Who knows, overnight
  It may appear with might,
  And soon with all its joy and glory,
Only rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, my heart!

The snow has disappeared, winter is gone.
  Come forth, ye flowers, come forth!
Spring snowflakes and violets in the thorny hedge,
Speedwell and primulas along the meadow path,
  Come forth, ye flowers, come forth!

The sky smiles down so bluely,
  Come out, ye buds, come out!
The breezes blow so beautifully and warmly,
And down along the brook the meadow grows green,
  Come out, ye blossoms, come out!

Springtime wishes to come quite soon, quite soon,
  Come hither, ye birds, come hither!
Come, sing [to spring] that it rings out and echoes,
And build your nests in the airy woods,
  Come hither, ye birds, come hither!

Arise! be happy with them, you human child,
  Away, ye worries, away!
Out of the house quickly, quickly,
And sing with the merry March wind:
  Away, ye worries, away!

Fresh, dewy summer morning,
[Oh, how refreshingly your]1 face smiles upon me!
[Still concealed]2 deep within the soughing forest,
The [birds]3 have already woken with rejoicing.

From far away in the moss, how the roses' scent rises,
How at the forest’s edge the scent of the flowers of the meadow!
[And how]4 teasingly the breezes caress
The golden haulms, how the dew sparkles!

[Ah, and how the green shines from out of the valley]5,
How the river sparkles from out of the rocky chasm!
[How the heights shimmer]6 in the rosy beams,
Beautifully [shrouded by the blue air]7!

And high up in the white swarming mass
The last little sheep upon the heavens
Are hastily scudding away before the merry breeze
Before they vanish into the blue. --

Refreshing coolness, radiant shimmer,
Sink and twinkle into my heart,
And from the song, you flickering dew,
Shine in a sparkling reflection!

    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!