English translations of Drei Lieder, opus 92

by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828)

Return to the original list

1. Der Musensohn
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Musensohn", op. 92 (Drei Lieder) no. 1, D 764 (1822), published 1828 [ voice, piano ], M. J. Leidesdorf, VN 1014, Wien
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Durch Feld und Wald zu schweifen,
Mein Liedchen wegzupfeifen,
So gehts von Ort zu Ort!
Und nach dem Takte reget,
Und nach dem Maaß beweget
Sich alles an mir fort.

Ich kann sie kaum erwarten,
Die erste Blum' im Garten,
Die erste Blüt' am Baum.
Sie grüßen meine Lieder,
Und kommt der Winter wieder,
Sing' ich noch jenen Traum.

Ich sing' ihn in der Weite,
Auf Eises Läng' und Breite,
Da blüht der Winter schön!
Auch diese Blüte schwindet,
Und neue Freude findet
Sich auf bebauten Höhn.

Denn wie ich bei der Linde
Das junge Völkchen finde,
Sogleich erreg' ich sie.
Der stumpfe Bursche bläht sich,
Das steife Mädchen dreht sich
Nach meiner Melodie.

Ihr gebt den Sohlen Flügel
Und treibt, durch Thal und Hügel,
Den Liebling weit von Haus.
Ihr lieben holden Musen,
Wann ruh' ich ihr am Busen
Auch endlich wieder aus?

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, pages 25-26; and with Göthe's neue Schriften. Siebenter Band. Berlin. Bei Johann Friedrich Unger. 1800, pages 6-7.


by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
1. The son of the muses
Language: English 
Roaming through field and wood,
Piping along my little song,
So I go from place to place!
And to my beat
And to my measure
Everything moves with me.

I can hardly wait for them,
The first bloom in the garden,
The first blossom on the tree.
My songs greet them,
And when winter returns
I still sing of that dream.

I sing them far and wide,
Through the ice's realm,
Then winter blossoms beautifully!
That bloom disappears too,
And new joy is found
In the hilltowns.

For when I, beside the linden,
Encounter young folks,
I rouse them at once.
The swaggering youth puffs up,
The naive maiden twirls
To my melody.

You give my feet wings
And drive through vale and hill
Your favorite, far from home.
You dear, kind muses,
When on her bosom
Will I finally again find rest?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Lawrence Snyder and Rebecca Plack, (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: 30
Word count: 143

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder, Rebecca Plack
2. Auf dem See
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Auf dem See", op. 92 (Drei Lieder) no. 2, D 543 (1817), published 1828 [ voice, piano ], M. J. Leidesdorf, VN 1014, Wien
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Und frische Nahrung, neues Blut
Saug' ich aus freier Welt;
Wie ist Natur so hold und gut,
Die mich am Busen hält!
Die Welle wieget unsern Kahn
Im Rudertakt hinauf,
Und Berge, wolkig himmelan,
Begegnen unserm Lauf.

Aug', mein Aug', was sinkst du nieder?
Goldne Träume, kommt ihr wieder?
Weg, du Traum! so Gold du bist;
Hier auch Lieb' und Leben ist.

Auf der Welle blinken
Tausend schwebende Sterne,
Weiche Nebel trinken
Rings die thürmende Ferne;
Morgenwind umflügelt
Die beschattete Bucht,
Und im See bespiegelt
Sich die reifende Frucht.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
2. On the lake
Language: English 
And fresh sustenance, new blood
I soak up from the wide world;
How sweet and good is nature
Which holds me to her bosom!
The waves rock our little boat
In time with the oars,
And mountains, cloud-capped heavenwards,
Meet our circling course.

Eyes, my eyes, why are you cast down?
Golden dreams, do you come again?
Away, you dream, however golden;
Here too is love and life.

On the waves twinkle
A thousand hovering stars,
Soft mists swallow up
The surrounding towering distances;
Morning wind wings around
The shadowed bay,
And the lake mirrors
The ripening fruit.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Lawrence Snyder and Rebecca Plack, (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: 20
Word count: 98

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder, Rebecca Plack
3. Geistes‑Gruß
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Geistes-Gruß", op. 92 (Drei Lieder) no. 3, D 142 (1815/16), published 1828 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hoch auf dem alten Thurme steht
Des Helden edler Geist,
Der, wie das Schiff vorübergeht,
Es wohl zu fahren heißt.

"Sieh, diese Senne war so stark,
Dieß Herz so fest und wild,
Die Knochen voll von Rittermark,
Der Becher angefüllt;

"Mein halbes Leben stürmt' ich fort,
Verdehnt' die Hälft' in Ruh,
Und du, du Menschen-Schifflein dort,
Fahr' immer, immer zu!"

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
3. Ghost-Greetings
Language: English 
 High up on the ancient tower stands
 The hero's noble ghost,
 Which, whenever a boat passes by,
 Bids it a fair journey.

 "Behold, this muscle was once strong, 
 This heart so firm and savage,
 These bones full of a Knight's marrow,
 The cup overflowing;

 "Half my life I stormed forth,
 I spent the other half in peace;
 And you, you little man-made boat,
 Journey ever, ever forth!"

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:

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: 68

Translation © by Emily Ezust