English translations of Zwei Lieder, opus 14

by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828)

1. Suleika I
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Suleika I", op. 14 (Zwei Lieder) no. 1, D 720 (1821), published 1822 [ voice, piano ], Cappi und Diabelli, VN 1163, Wien
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Was bedeutet die Bewegung?
Bringt der Ost mir frohe Kunde?
Seiner Schwingen frische Regung
Kühlt des Herzens tiefe Wunde.

Kosend spielt er mit dem Staube,
Jagt ihn auf in leichten Wölkchen,
Treibt zur sichern Rebenlaube
Der Insecten frohes Völkchen.

Lindert sanft der Sonne Glühen,
Kühlt auch mir die heißen Wangen,
Küßt die Reben noch im Fliehen,
Die auf Feld und Hügel prangen.

Und mir bringt sein leises Flüstern
Von dem Freunde tausend Grüße;
Eh noch diese Hügel düstern
Grüßen mich wohl tausend Küsse.

Und so kannst du weiter ziehen!
Diene Freunden und Betrübten.
Dort wo hohe Mauern glühen,
Dort find' ich bald den Vielgeliebten.

Ach, die wahre Herzenskunde,
Liebeshauch, erfrischtes Leben
Wird mir nur aus seinem Munde,
Kann mir nur sein Athem geben.

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Note: Marianne von Willemer's poem Ostwind was published anonymously with the title Suleika as part of Goethe's West-östlicher Divan, Buch Suleika - Suleika Nameh, with a few textual revisions by Goethe.

sometimes misattributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) and by Marianne von Willemer (1784 - 1860)
1. Suleika
Language: English 
What does the motion mean?
Does the East wind bring glad tidings?
The refreshing movement of its wings
Chills the heart's deep wound.

It plays gently with the dust,
Chasing it into light clouds.
And drives the happy insect people
to the security of the vine-leaves.

It softly tempers the sun's incandescence,
and chills my hot cheeks,
As it flees it kisses the vines
which are prominent on the fields and hills

And its soft whispering brings me
A thousand greetings from my friend
Before these hills dim,
I will be greeted by a thousand kisses.

So as you go on your way
And serve friends and the saddened.
There where high walls glow,
I shall soon find my dearly beloved.

Oh, the true message of his heart,
Loves-breath, refreshing life
Comes only from his mouth,
Can be given to me only by his breath.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Richard Morris, (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: 24
Word count: 145

Translation © by Richard Morris
2. Geheimes
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Geheimes", op. 14 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2, D 719 (1821), published 1822 [ voice and piano ], Cappi und Diabelli, VN 1163, Wien
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Über meines Liebchens Äugeln
Stehn verwundert alle Leute;
Ich, der Wissende, dagegen
Weiß recht gut was das bedeute.

Denn es heißt: ich liebe diesen,
Und nicht etwa den und jenen.
Lasset nur ihr guten Leute
Euer Wundern, euer Sehnen!

Ja, mit ungeheuren Mächten
Blicket sie wohl in die Runde;
Doch sie sucht nur zu verkünden
Ihm die nächste süße Stunde.

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Note: line 1 begins in this edition with "Ueber", but we've changed it to the umlauted form to match the spelling of the lower-case versions.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
2. Secret
Language: English 
 Everyone is astonished 
 At the eyes my sweetheart makes;
 But I, who understand, 
 Know quite well what they mean.

 For they say: I love him, 
 Not this one or that one. 
 So, good people cease 
 Your wondering and your longing!

 Indeed, she may well look about her 
 With a mightily powerful eye, 
 But she seeks only to give him a foretaste 
 Of the next sweet hour.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by David Gordon, (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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66

Translation © by David Gordon