English translations of Vier Lieder, opus 8
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828)
Ein Jüngling auf dem Hügel Mit seinem Kummer saß, Wohl ward der Augen Spiegel Ihm trüb' und tränennaß. Sah frohe Lämmer spielen Am grünen Felsenhang, Sah frohe Bächlein quillen Das bunte Tal entlang; Die Schmetterlinge sogen Am roten Blütenmund, Wie Morgenträume flogen Die Wolken in dem Rund; Und alles war so munter, Und alles schwamm in Glück, Nur in sein Herz hinunter Sah nicht der Freude Blick. Ach, dumpfes Grabgeläute Im Dorfe nun erklang, Schon tönte aus der Weite Ein klagender Gesang; Sah nun die Lichter schimmern, Den schwarzen Leichenzug, Fing bitter an zu wimmern, Weil man sein Röschen trug. Jetzt ließ den Sarg man nieder, Der Totengräber kam, Und gab der Erde wieder, Was Gott aus selber nahm. Da schwieg des Jünglings Klage, Und betend ward sein Blick, Sah schon am schönern Tage Des Wiedersehens Glück. Und wie die Sterne kamen, Der Mond heraufgeschifft, Las still er in den Sternen Der Hoffnung hohe Schrift.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Hüttenbrenner (1799 - 1830)
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Note: Schubert received Hüttenbrenner's poem in handwritten form. It has not been published independently from Schubert's song.
A youth sat on a hill with his grief; and soon his eyes grew dark and moist with tears. He watched happy lambs playing on the green cliff-side, the happy brook streaming along the colorful valley... ...the butterflies sipping at the red mouths of flowers, and, like morning dreams, clouds flying about. And all was so cheerful, and everything floated in happiness; only in his heart nothing could be seen of joy. Alas, the muffled death-knell now tolled in the village, and already in the distance there echoed a lamenting song; Now he saw lights shining, and the black cortège. He began to weep bitterly, for they were bringing his Rosie. Now they lowered the coffin; the grave-digger arrived, and gave back to the earth what God had taken from it. Then the youth silenced his lament, and his gaze grew reverential; already he could see that lovely day of reunion's joy. And as the stars came out and the moon sailed up, he read in the stars a lofty message of hope.
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 ArchiveFor any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Hüttenbrenner (1799 - 1830)
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 36
Word count: 173
Der Lerche wolkennahe Lieder Erschmettern zu des Winters Flucht. Die Erde hüllt in Sammt die Glieder, Und Blüthen bilden rothe Frucht. Nur du, o sturmbewegte Seele, Nur du bist blüthenlos, in dich gekehrt, Und wirst in goldner Frühlingshelle Von tiefer Sehnsucht aufgezehrt. Nie wird, was du verlangst, entkeimen Dem Boden, Idealen fremd; Der trotzig deinen schönsten Träumen Die rohe Kraft entgegen stemmt. Du ringst dich matt mit seiner Härte, Vom Wunsche heftiger entbrannt: Mit Kranichen ein sterbender Gefährte Zu wandern in ein milder Land.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Sehnsucht"
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The songs of the lark, up near the clouds, Ring out as winter flees. The earth covers its limbs in velvet And blossoms form red fruit. Only you, storm-tossed soul, Only you do not blossom. You are turned in on yourself, And in the golden brightness of spring You are sucked dry by deep longing. What you crave will never spring from This soil, a stranger to ideals, Which, despite your most beautiful dreams, Sets its raw strength up against you. You exhaust yourself battling against its toughness, Fired up with the burning desire To set off as a striving companion with the cranes And to migrate to a kinder country.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Sehnsucht"
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This text was added to the website: 2010-10-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 111
Mir ist so wohl, so weh
Am stillen Erlafsee.
Heilig Schweigen
In Fichtenzweigen.
Regungslos
Der blaue Schooß;
Nur der Wolken Schatten flieh'n
Überm dunklen Spiegel hin.
...
Frische Winde
Kräuseln linde
Das Gewässer;
Und der Sonne
Güldne Krone
Flimmert blässer.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), title 1: "Erlafsee", title 2: "Am Erlaf-See"
See other settings of this text.
I am so happy, and so sad,
by the still Lake Erlaf;
the holy silence
in the branches of the spruce,
motionless
blue depths,
with only the shadows of the clouds flying
over the [smooth]1 mirror;
[ ... ]
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 ArchiveFor any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), title 1: "Erlafsee", title 2: "Am Erlaf-See"
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View original text (without footnotes)1 or "dark" in some editions
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 51
Ist mir's doch, als sey mein Leben An den schönen Strom gebunden. Hab' ich Frohes nicht an seinem Ufer, Und Betrübtes hier empfunden? Ja du gleichest meiner Seele; Manchmahl grün, und glatt gestaltet, Und zu Zeiten - herrschen Stürme - Schäumend, unruhvoll, gefaltet. Fließest zu dem fernen Meere, Darfst allda nicht heimisch werden. Mich drängt's auch in mildre Lande - Finde nicht das Glück auf Erden.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Am Strome"
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It seems as if my life is somehow bound to this fair stream; have I not had many joys by its banks, and experienced many sorrows? Yes, you are like my soul; sometimes green and smooth in form, and sometimes dominated by storms: foaming, restless and furrowed. You flow to the distant sea: you cannot be at home here; I am also urged onward to gentler lands, for I find no happiness here.
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 ArchiveFor any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Am Strome"
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: 74