English translations of Drei Lieder, opus posth. 109

by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828)

1. Am Bach im Frühlinge
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Am Bach im Frühlinge", op. posth. 109 no. 1, D 361 (1816), published 1829 [ voice, piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du brachst sie nun die kalte Rinde,
Und rieselst froh und frei dahin;
Die Winde wehen wieder linde,
Und Moos und Gras wird neu und grün.

Allein mit traurigem Gemüthe
Tret' ich wie sonst zu deiner Fluth,
Der Erde allgemeine Blüthe
Kommt meinem Herzen nicht zu gut.

Hier treiben immer gleiche Winde,
Kein Hoffen kommt in meinen Sinn -
Als daß ich hier ein Blümchen finde,
Blau, wie sie der Erinnrung blühn.

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Note: Schubert received all poems from Schober in handwritten form. A (possibly later) autograph of this poem with the title Am Bach im Frühlinge is kept in the Vienna City Library.

by Franz Adolf Friedrich von Schober (1796 - 1882)
1. By the brook in springtime
Language: English 
You have now broken your cold crust
and you ripple merrily and freely forth.
The breezes blow gently again,
and moss and grass grow new and green.

Alone and in a mournful mood
I walk by your waters as of old.
The blossoming of the earth 
does my soul no good.

Here the same winds are ever driving me,
and no hope enters my mind,
even when I find a little flower here:
blue, like the flowers blooming in my memories.

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.


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 81

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Genügsamkeit
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Genügsamkeit", op. posth. 109 no. 2, D 143 (1815), published 1829
Language: German (Deutsch) 
"Dort raget ein Berg aus den Wolken her,
Ihn erreicht wohl mein eilender Schritt.
Doch  ...  ragen neue, und immer mehr -
Fort, da mich der Drang noch durchglüht."

Es treibt ihn vom schwebenden Rosenlicht
Aus dem ruhigen, heitern Azur. -
Und endlich - waren's die Berge nicht,
Es war seine Sehnsucht nur.

Doch nun wird es ringsum öd und flach,
Und doch kann er nimmer zurück -
O Götter! gebt mir ein Hüttendach
Im Thal, und ein friedliches Glück!

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by Franz Adolf Friedrich von Schober (1796 - 1882)
2. A feeling of sufficiency
Language: English 
Over there a mountain sticks out over the clouds
And my hurried steps lead me up to it.
Yet more and more of them tower up
Since the drive is still burning inside me.

He is propelled by the hovering crimson light
That comes out of the calm, clear azure sky.
And in the end there were no mountains,
There was only his longing.

But now all around it is ugly and flat,
And yet he can never go back.
O gods, give me the shelter of a hut
In the valley and peaceful contentment.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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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This text was added to the website: 2016-09-10
Line count: 12
Word count: 95

Translation © by Malcolm Wren
3. An eine Quelle
 (Sung text)
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "An eine Quelle", op. posth. 109 no. 3, D 530 (1817), published 1829 [ voice, piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du kleine grünumwachsne Quelle,
  An der ich Daphne jüngst gesehn!
Dein Wasser war so still! und helle!
  Und Daphne's Bild darin, so schön!
O, wenn sie sich noch mahl am Ufer sehen läßt,
So halte du ihr schönes Bild doch fest;
Ich schleiche heimlich dann mit naßen Augen hin,
  Dem Bild meine Noth zu klagen;
Denn, wenn ich bey ihr selber bin,
Dann, ach! dann kann ich ihr nichts sagen.

Text Authorship:

  • by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), "An eine Quelle", written 1760, first published 1764

See other settings of this text.

First published in 1764 in a slightly different version in Tändeleyen und Erzählungen, see below.

by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815)
3. To a spring
Language: English 
Little spring, grown over with green,
I recently saw Daphne beside you!
Your water was so still and bright
and Daphne's face so fair within!
O if she should let herself be seen again by your side,
keep her fair image fast;
I will creep up secretly, with moist eyes,
and lament all my troubles to her image.
For when I am with her alone,
alas, I cannot say a thing!

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: 10
Word count: 71

Translation © by Emily Ezust