English translations of Zwei Lieder, opus 12

by Edward Alexander MacDowell (1860 - 1908)

1. Nachtlied
 (Sung text)
by Edward Alexander MacDowell (1860 - 1908), "Nachtlied", op. 12 (Zwei Lieder) no. 1, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Mond kommt still gegangen
Mit seinem goldnen Schein,
Da schläft in holdem Prangen 
Die müde Erde ein.

Im Traum die Wipfel weben,
Die Quellen rauschen sacht;
Singende Engel durchschweben
Die blaue Sternennacht

Und auf den Lüften schwanken
Aus manchem treuen Sinn
Viel tausend Liebesgedanken
Über die Schläfer hin.

Und drunten im Thale, da funkeln
Die Fenster von Liebchens Haus;
Ich aber blicke im Dunkeln
Still in die Welt hinaus.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Note: in Lachner's score, the first word of stanza 4 is "Da" but becomes "Und" in the repetition.

by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
1. The moon so peaceful rises
Language: English 
The moon so peaceful rises
with all its golden shine,
here sleeps in lovely glitter
the weary earth below.

[...
...
...
...]

And on the breezes waft down
from many faithful hearts
true loving thoughts by the thousand
upon the sleeping ones.

And down in the valley, there twinkle
the lights from my lover's house;
but I in darkness still look out -
silent - into the world.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to:


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 63

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
2. Das Rosenband  [sung text not yet checked]
by Edward Alexander MacDowell (1860 - 1908), "Das Rosenband", op. 12 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2 (1880-1), published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Im [Frühlingsschatten]1 fand ich Sie;
Da band ich Sie mit Rosenbändern:
Sie fühlt' es nicht und schlummerte.

  Ich sah Sie an; mein Leben hing
Mit diesem Blick' an ihrem Leben:
Ich fühlt' es wohl, und wußt' es nicht.

  Doch lispelt' ich Ihr [sprachlos]2 zu,
Und rauschte mit den Rosenbändern:
Da wachte Sie vom Schlummer auf.

  Sie sah mich an; Ihr Leben hing
Mit diesem Blick' an meinem Leben,
Und um uns [ward's]3 Elysium.

Text Authorship:

  • by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803), title 1: "Das Rosenband", title 2: "Das schlafende Mädchen", title 3: "Cidli", title 4: "Das schlafende Mägdchen", written 1753, first published 1762

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Klopstocks Oden. Erster Band. Leipzig bey Georg Joachim Göschen. 1798, page 123, in which the poem is titled "Das Rosenband". First published in Lieder mit Melodien, für das Clavier, von Christian Ernst Rosenbaum. Zweeter Theil. Altona und Lübeck, Bey David Iversen, Königl. privil. Buchhändler aufs Herzogth. Holstein; 1762, page 6, with the title "Das schlafende Mägdchen"; then in Musenalmanach für das Jahr 1770. Göttingen bey Johann Christian Dieterich, page 68, with the title "Das schlafende Mädchen"; and in Poetische Blumenlese auf das Jahr 1774. Göttingen und Gotha, bey Johann Christian Dieterich, page 117, with the title "Cidli".

1 Schubert, Zemlinsky: "Frühlingsgarten"
2 Schubert: "leise"
3 Schubert, Tomášek: "ward"

by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803)
2.
Language: English 
In spring shade I found her,
and bound her with rosy ribbons:
she did not feel it, and slumbered on.

I looked at her; my life hung
with that gaze on her life:
I felt it well, but knew it not.

But I whispered wordlessly to her
and rustled the rosy ribbons.
Then she awoke from her slumber.

She looked at me; her life hung
with this gaze on my life:
and around us it became Elysium.

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.


Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803), title 1: "Das Rosenband", title 2: "Das schlafende Mädchen", title 3: "Cidli", title 4: "Das schlafende Mägdchen", written 1753, first published 1762

Go to the general single-text view

"Das Rosenband" - "The ribbon of roses"
"Cidli" - a proper name.


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 77

Translation © by Emily Ezust