English translations of Drei Lieder für Sopran (oder Tenor) mit Pianoforte, opus 2

by Karl Julius Schwab

1. Morgenthau  [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Julius Schwab , "Morgenthau", op. 2 (Drei Lieder für Sopran (oder Tenor) mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1885 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Stuttgart, Ebner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wir [wollten]1 mit Kosen und Lieben
Geniessen der köstlichen Nacht.
Wo sind doch die Stunden geblieben?
Es ist ja der Hahn schon erwacht.

Die Sonne, die bringt viel Leiden,
Es weinet die scheidende Nacht;
Ich also muß weinen und scheiden,
Es ist ja die Welt schon erwacht.

Ich wollt' es gäb' keine Sonne,
Als eben dein Auge so klar.
Wir weilten in Tag und in Wonne,
Und schliefe die Welt immerdar.

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1 Seldeneck: "wollen" ; further changes may exist not noted above.

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838)
1. Morning dew
Language: English 
With caresses and loving, we [wished]1
To enjoy the delightful night.
Where have the hours gone?
The rooster is already awake,
 
The sun, it brings much sorrow,
The passing night weeps;
So I must weep and depart,
For the world is already awake
 
I wish there were no sun
Save for your eyes so clear,
We would tarry in daylight and bliss,
And the world would sleep forever.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Sharon Krebs, (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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Seldeneck's title: "Dewdrops"
1 Seldeneck: "wish"


This text was added to the website: 2011-01-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 69

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Bitte  [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Julius Schwab , "Bitte", op. 2 (Drei Lieder für Sopran (oder Tenor) mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1885 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Stuttgart, Ebner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Weil' auf mir, du dunkles Auge,
Übe deine ganze Macht,
Ernste, milde, [träumerische]1,
Unergründlich süße Nacht!

Nimm mit deinem Zauberdunkel
Diese Welt von hinnen mir,
Daß du über meinem Leben
Einsam schwebest für und für.

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Confirmed with Nicolaus Lenau's sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von G. Emil Barthel, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun., [1883], page 11.

1 Bolko von Hochberg: "zauberische"; Sjögren: "träumereiche"

by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
2. Linger on me, dark eyes
Language: English 
Linger on me, dark eyes -
exert your entire power,
somber, mild, dream-like,
unfathomably sweet night.

With your magic darkness
take from me this world,
so that above my life
you alone will float forever and ever.

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: 8
Word count: 36

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Kuriose Geschichte  [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Julius Schwab , "Kuriose Geschichte", op. 2 (Drei Lieder für Sopran (oder Tenor) mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1885 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Stuttgart, Ebner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich bin [einmal etwas hinausspaziert]1,
Da ist mir ein närrisch Ding passiert:
Ich sah einen Jäger am Waldeshang,
Ritt auf und nieder den See entlang;
Viel Hirsche sprangen am Wege dicht;
Was tat der Jäger? -- Er schoß sie nicht,
Er blies ein Lied in den Wald hinein --
Nun sagt mir, ihr [Leut']2, was soll das sein?

Und als ich weiter bin fort spaziert,
Ist wieder ein [närrisches]3 Ding mir passiert:
In kleinem Kahn eine Fischerin
Fuhr stets am [Waldeshange]4 dahin;
Rings sprangen die [Fischlein]5 im Abendlicht;
Was tat das Mädchen? -- Sie fing sie nicht,
Sie sang ein Lied in den Wald hinein --
Nun sagt mir, ihr [Leut']2, was soll das sein?

Und als [ich wieder zurück spaziert]6,
Da ist mir das närrischste Ding passiert:
Ein leeres Pferd mir entgegen kam,
Im See ein leerer Nachen schwamm,
Und als ich ging an den Erlen vorbei,
Was hört' ich drinnen ? -- Da flüsterten Zwei,
Und 's war schon spät und Mondenschein --
Nun sagt mir, ihr [Leut']2, was [soll]7 das sein?

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Confirmed with Lieder eines Malers mit Randzeichungen seiner Freunde, Neuherausgegeben von Adolf Bothe, München: Verlag Rösl u. Cie, 1919, pages 23-24.

1 Seiffert: "einmal hinausspaziert"(according to Hofmeister); Wallnöfer: "einmal Abends hinausspaziert"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Millöcker: "Leute"
3 Millöcker, Reissiger: "närrisch"
4 Reissiger: "Waldeshang"
5 Reissiger: "Fische"
6 Reissiger: "eine Stunde ich fortspaziert"
7 Reissiger: "sollt'"

by Robert Reinick (1805 - 1852)
3. Curious story
Language: English 
[I once went out for a little]1 walk,
And something odd happened to me:
I saw a hunter at the forest edge,
Along the lake he rode back and forth;
Many deer were leaping close by his path;
What did the hunter do? -- He did not shoot them,
He trumpeted a song into the forest --
Now tell me, you people, what is that supposed to mean?

And as I walked on a bit,
Something odd again happened to me:
A fisher-maiden in a little boat
Sailed continually along the forest edge;
All around her the little fish leapt in the evening light;
What did the maiden do? -- She did not catch them,
She sang a song into the forest --
Now tell me, you people, what is that supposed to mean?

And when was I walking back again,
The oddest thing happened to me:
A riderless horse came toward me,
In the lake there floated an empty barque,
And as I walked along the alders,
What did I hear among them? -- Two people were whispering there,
And it was already late and there was moonlight --
Now tell me, you people, what is that supposed to mean?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 by Sharon Krebs, (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: 

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Translations of title(s):
"Curiose Geschichte" = "Curious story"
"Ich bin einmal etwas hinausspaziert " = "I once went out for a little walk"
"Kuriose Geschichte" = "Curious story"
"Närrisches Ding" = "An odd thing"
"Seltsame Geschichte" = "Unusual story"

1 Seiffert: "I once went out for a"(according to Hofmeister); Wallnöfer: "One evening I went out for a "; further changes may exist not shown above.


This text was added to the website: 2022-04-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 196

Translation © by Sharon Krebs