English translations of Lieder, opus 1
by Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Müller (b. 1835)
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1. Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten [sung text not yet checked]
by Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Müller (b. 1835), "Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten", op. 1 (Lieder) no. 4
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ich weiß nicht, was [soll es]1 bedeuten, Daß ich so traurig bin; Ein Märchen aus [alten]2 Zeiten, Das [kommt]3 mir nicht aus dem Sinn. Die Luft ist kühl und es dunkelt, Und ruhig [fließt]4 der Rhein; [Der Gipfel des Berges]5 funkelt Im Abendsonnenschein. Die schönste Jungfrau sitzet Dort oben wunderbar, Ihr goldnes Geschmeide blitzet Sie kämmt [ihr goldenes]6 Haar. Sie kämmt es mit [goldenem]7 Kamme Und singt ein Lied dabei; Das hat eine wundersame, [Gewaltige]8 Melodei. Den Schiffer im kleinen [Schiffe]9 Ergreift es mit wildem Weh; Er [schaut]10 nicht die Felsenriffe, Er [schaut nur hinauf]11 in die Höh'. Ich glaube, [die Wellen verschlingen Am Ende]12 Schiffer und Kahn; Und das hat mit ihrem Singen Die [Lorelei]13 gethan.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 2
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with: Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun, [1887], pages 116-117.
1 Bronsart, Liszt,: "soll's"2 Fibich: "uralten"
3 Fibich: "geht"
4 Bürde: "fliesset"
5 Fibich: "Des Berges Gipfel"
6 Bronsart, Kinkel: "ihr goldnes"; Bürde: "das gold'ne"; Oberthür, C. Schumann: "ihr gold'nes"
7 Bronsart: "goldnem"; Liszt, Oberthür, C. Schumann: "gold'nem"
8 Bronsart, Kinkel, Liszt: "Gewalt'ge"
9 Bürde: "Kahne"
10 Fibich: "sieht"
11 Fibich: "sieht nur nach ihr"
12 Kinkel: "am Ende verschlingen / Die Wellen"
13 Bürde: "Loreley"
by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1.
Language: English
I'm looking in vain for the reason That I am so sad and distressed; A tale known for many a season Will not allow me to rest. Cool is the air in the twilight And quietly flows the Rhine; The mountain top glows with a highlight From the evening sun's last shine. The fairest of maiden's reposing So wonderously up there. Her golden treasure disclosing; She's combing her golden hair. She combs it with comb of gold And meanwhile sings a song With melody strangely bold And overpoweringly strong. The boatman in his small craft Is seized with longings, and sighs. He sees not the rocks fore and aft; He looks only up towards the skies. I fear that the waves shall be flinging Both vessel and man to their end; That must have been what with her singing The Lorelei did intend.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1995 by Walter Meyer, (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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 2
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Translation of title "Lorelei" = "Lorelei"This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 143
Translation © by Walter Meyer