English translations of Four songs, opus 4

by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934)

1. Margrete's cradle song
 (Sung text)
by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "Margrete's cradle song", op. 4 (Four songs) no. 1 (1896), published 1897 [ voice and piano ]
Language: English 
Now roof and rafters blend
with the starry vault on high,
Now flieth little Hākon
on dreamwings through the sky.

There mounts a mighty stairway
from earth to God's own land
There Hakon with the angels goes
climbing hand in hand.

God's angel-babes are watching
thy cot, the still night through,
God bless thee, little Hakon,
thy mother watcheth too.

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by William Archer (1856 - 1924)
2. Slumber song  [sung text not yet checked]
by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "Slumber song", op. 4 (Four songs) no. 2 (1896), published 1897 [ voice and piano ]
Language: English 
Soft soft wind, from out the sweet south sliding,
Waft thy silver cloud webs athwart the summer sea;
Thin thin threads of mist on dewy fingers twining
Weave a veil of dappled gauze to shade my babe and me.

Deep deep Love, within thine own abyss abiding,
Pour Thyself abroad, O Lord, on earth and air and sea;
Worn weary hearts within Thy holy temple hiding,
Shield from sorrow, sin, and shame my helpless babe and me.

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by Charles Kingsley (1819 - 1875)
3. Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt  [sung text not yet checked]
by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt", op. 4 (Four songs) no. 3, published 1898, also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Leise [zieht]1 durch mein Gemüth
Liebliches Geläute.
Klinge, kleines Frühlingslied,
Kling' hinaus in's Weite.

[Kling']2 hinaus bis an das Haus,
Wo die [Blumen]3 sprießen.
Wenn du eine Rose schaust,
Sag' ich lass' sie grüßen.

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Confirmed with Neue Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Zehnte Auflage, Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1871, page 10.

Note: modern German would change the spelling "Gemüth" to "Gemüt"

1 Quiteria: "klingt"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Grieg: "Zieh"
3 Behrens, Gade, Grieg, Urspruch, Zenger: "Veilchen"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. Sweet chimes are softly filling my soul
Language: English 
Sweet chimes are softly
filling my soul;
Ring, little springtime-song
Ring out: far and wide.

Go forward till you reach the house,
where the violets bloom;
And if you see a rose,
give her my greetings.

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  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Marty Lucas, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 36

Translation © by Marty Lucas
4. Soft and gently  [sung text not yet checked]
by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "Soft and gently", op. 4 (Four songs) no. 3 (1897), published 1974, first performed 1904, also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
[Soft]1 and gently through my soul
 Sweetest bells are ringing,
Speed you forth, my little song,
 Of springtime blithely singing!

Speed you onward to a house
 Where sweet flowers are fleeting!
If, perchance, a rose you see,
 Say, I send her greeting!

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1 Hadley: "Softly"; further changes may exist not shown above.

Singable translation by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker (1845 - 1904)
5. Awake, my heart  [sung text not yet checked]
by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "Awake, my heart", op. 4 (Four songs) no. 4 (1898), published 1908 [ voice and piano ]
Language: English 
Awake, my heart, to be loved, awake, awake!

The darkness silvers away, the morn doth break,
It leaps in the sky: unrisen lustres slake
The o'ertaken moon. Awake, O heart, awake!

She too that loveth awaketh and hopes for thee:
Her eyes already have sped the shades that flee,
Already they watch the path thy feet shall take:
Awake, O heart, to be loved, awake, awake!

And if thou tarry from her, - if this could be, -
She cometh herself, O heart, to be loved, to thee;
For thee would unashamed herself forsake:
Awake, to be loved, my heart, awake, awake!

Awake! The land is scattered with light, and see,
Uncanopied sleep is flying from field and tree;
And blossoming boughs of April in laughter shake:
Awake, O heart, to be loved, awake, awake!

Lo, all things wake and tarry and look for thee:
She looketh and saith, "O sun, now bring him to me.
Come, more adored, O adored, for his coming's sake,
And awake, my heart, to be loved, awake, awake!"

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by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 - 1930)