English translations of Vier Gesänge, opus 2

by Alban Maria Johannes Berg (1885 - 1935)

1. Dem Schmerz sein Recht
 (Sung text)
by Alban Maria Johannes Berg (1885 - 1935), "Dem Schmerz sein Recht", op. 2 (Vier Gesänge) no. 1 (1910)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Schlafen, Schlafen, nichts als Schlafen!
  Kein Erwachen, keinen Traum!
Jener Wehen, die mich trafen,
  Leisestes Erinnern kaum,
Daß ich, wenn des Lebens Fülle
  Niederklingt in meine Ruh',
Nur noch tiefer mich verhülle,
  Fester zu die Augen thu'!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863)
1. To sleep, to sleep, nothing but to sleep!
Language: English 
To sleep, to sleep, nothing but to sleep!
No awaking, no dream!
Of those sorrows that I suffered,
hardly the faintest recollection.
So that I, when the fullness of life
reverberates into my rest,
I will only cover myself even more deeply, 
and more tightly close my eyes!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Jakob Kellner, (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: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Jakob Kellner
2. Schlafend trägt man mich
 (Sung text)
by Alban Maria Johannes Berg (1885 - 1935), "Schlafend trägt man mich", op. 2 (Vier Gesänge) no. 2 (1910)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Schlafend trägt man mich
in mein Heimatland.
Ferne komm' ich her,
über Gipfel, über Schlünde,
über ein dunkles Meer
in mein Heimatland.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Alfred Mombert (1872 - 1942)
2. Sleeping, I am carried
Language: English 
 Sleeping, I am carried
 to my homeland.
 I come from afar,
 over peaks, over chasms,
 over a dark ocean
 to my homeland.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Jakob Kellner, (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: 6
Word count: 23

Translation © by Jakob Kellner
3. Nun ich der Riesen Stärksten überwand
 (Sung text)
by Alban Maria Johannes Berg (1885 - 1935), "Nun ich der Riesen Stärksten überwand", op. 2 (Vier Gesänge) no. 3 (1910)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Nun ich der Riesen Stärksten überwand,
Mich aus dem dunkelsten Land heimfand
an einer weißen Märchenhand -
Hallen schwer die Glocken.
Und ich wanke durch die Straßen
schlafbefangen.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Alfred Mombert (1872 - 1942)
3. Now that I have overcome the strongest of the giants
Language: English 
Now that I have overcome the strongest of the giants,
from the darkest land, found my way home
guided by a white fairy hand -
the bells resound heavily, 
and I stagger through the streets
in the throes of sleep.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Jakob Kellner, (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: 6
Word count: 39

Translation © by Jakob Kellner
4. Warm die Lüfte
 (Sung text)
by Alban Maria Johannes Berg (1885 - 1935), "Warm die Lüfte", op. 2 (Vier Gesänge) no. 4 (1910)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Warm die Lüfte,
es sprießt Gras auf sonnigen Wiesen.
Horch!--
Horch, es flötet die Nachtigall...
Ich will singen:

Droben hoch im düstern Bergforst,
es schmilzt und sickert kalter Schnee,
ein Mädchen im grauen Kleide
lehnt am feuchten Eichstamm,
krank sind ihre zarten Wangen,
die grauen Augen fiebern
durch Düsterriesenstämme.
"Er kommt noch nicht. Er läßt mich warten"...
 
Stirb!
Der Eine stirbt, daneben der Andere lebt:
Das macht die Welt so tiefschön.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Alfred Mombert (1872 - 1942)
4. Warm the breezes
Language: English 
Warm are the breezes;
Grass grows in sunny meadows,
Listen!
Listen, there pipes the nightingale...
I will sing:
High up there in dusky mountain forests,
Cold snow melts and oozes;
A maiden in a grey dress
leans against a damp oaktree;
Her cheeks are ill,
The grey eyes burn
Through the dusky, giant tree trunks.
"He doesn't come yet. He's making me wait"...
Die!
The one dies while the other lives:
That makes the world so deeply beautiful.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Jakob Kellner, (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: 16
Word count: 78

Translation © by Jakob Kellner