English translations of Zwei Nachtigallenlieder für eine Singstime mit Pianoforte, opus 5

by Reinhold Becker (1842 - 1924)

1. Hüte dich!   [sung text not yet checked]
by Reinhold Becker (1842 - 1924), "Hüte dich! ", op. 5 (Zwei Nachtigallenlieder für eine Singstime mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Dresden, Hoffarth
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Nachtigall, hüte dich!
Singe nicht so lieblich!
Ach, dein allzuschönes Singen
Wird dich um die Freiheit bringen.
  Hüte dich!

Schöne Blume, hüte dich,
Blühe nicht [zu]1 glühend,
Dufte nicht so voll Entzücken!
Wer dich siehet, will dich pflücken,
  Hüte dich!

Schönes Mädchen, hüte dich!
Lächle nicht so gütig!
Deine Schönheit, deine Güte --
Denk' an Nachtigall und Blüte.
  [Hüte,]2
  Hüte dich!

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1 Mottl: "so"
2 omitted by Fried

by Hermann von Lingg (1820 - 1905)
1.
Language: English 
Nightingale, beware!
Do not sing so beautifully!
Alas, your all-too-lovely singing
Shall cost you your freedom.
  Beware!
 
Lovely flower, beware,
Do not bloom so glowingly,
Do not shed your scent so rapturously!
Whoever sees you, wishes to pick you,
  Beware!
 
Lovely maiden, beware!
Do not smile so amicably!
Your beauty, your goodness --
Think of the nightingale and blossom.
  Beware,
  Beware!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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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Translated titles:
"Hüte dich!" = "Beware!"
"Nachtigall, hüte dich!" = "Nightingale, beware!"


This text was added to the website: 2016-11-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 60

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Die Nachtigall  [sung text not yet checked]
by Reinhold Becker (1842 - 1924), "Die Nachtigall", op. 5 (Zwei Nachtigallenlieder für eine Singstime mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Dresden, Hoffarth
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Das]1 macht, es hat die Nachtigall
Die ganze [Nacht]2 gesungen;
Da sind von ihrem süssen Schall,
Da sind [in]3 Hall und Widerhall
Die [Rosen]4 aufgesprungen.
 
Sie war doch sonst ein wildes [Kind]5,
[Nun]6 geht sie [tief]7 in Sinnen,
Trägt in der Hand den Sommerhut
Und duldet [still]8 der Sonne Glut
Und weiß nicht, was beginnen.

Das macht, es hat die Nachtigall
Die ganze Nacht gesungen;
Da sind von ihrem süssen Schall,
Da sind [in]3 Hall und Widerhall
Die [Rosen]4 aufgesprungen.

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View original text (without footnotes)
1 Watkinson: "Es"; further changes may exist not noted above.
2 Hasse: "Tag" (from Hofmeister); further changes may exist not noted above.
3 Scholz: "von"
4 Greger: "Knospen"
5 Berg, Scholz: "Blut"
6 Wolff: "Jetzt"
7 Greger: "still"
8 Wolff: "stumm"

by Theodor Storm (1817 - 1888)
2. The nightingale
Language: English 
It happened because the nightingale 
sang the whole night long;
from her sweet call,
from the echo and re-echo,
roses have sprung up.

She was but recently a wild blossom,
and now she walks, deep in thought;
she carries her summer hat in her hand,
enduring quietly the heat of the sun,
knowing not what to begin.

It happened because the nightingale 
sang the whole night long;
from her sweet call,
from the echo and re-echo,
roses have sprung up.

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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Translation of title "Die Nachtigall" = "The nightingale"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 80

Translation © by Emily Ezust