English translations of Zwei Männerchöre, opus 5
by Hermann Fürchtenicht (1902 - 1944)
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Mitternacht schlägt eine Uhr im Tal, Mond am Himmel wandert kalt und kahl. Unterwegs im Schnee und Mondenschein Geh mit meinem Schatten ich allein. Wieviel Wege ging ich frühlingsgrün, Wieviel Sommersonnen sah ich glühn! Müde ist mein Schritt und grau mein Haar, Niemand kennt mich mehr, wie einst ich war. Müde bleibt mein dürrer Schatten stehn - Einmal muß die Fahrt zu Ende gehn. Traum, der durch die bunte Welt mich zog, Weicht von mir. Ich weiß nun, daß er log. Eine Uhr im Tal schlägt Mitternacht, O wie kalt der Mond dort oben lacht! Schnee, wie kühl umfängst du Stirn und Brust! Holder ist der Tod, als ich gewußt.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Wanderer im Schnee", written 1921
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Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 277-278.
A clock in the valley tolls midnight, The moon upon the heavens travels coldly and bleakly. On the road in snow and moonlight I walk alone with my shadow. How many spring-green roads I travelled, How many summer suns I saw aglow! My steps are weary and grey my hair, No one knows me any longer as I once was. Wearily my scrawny shadow halts - At some point the journey must end. The dream that drew me through the colourful world Departs from me. I know now that it lied. A clock in the valley tolls midnight, Oh how coldly the moon laughs up yonder! Snow, how coolly you embrace brow and breast! Death is more lovely than I knew.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Wanderer im Schnee", written 1921
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This text was added to the website: 2019-02-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 120