English translations of Drei Duette, opus 20

by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)

1. Weg der Liebe I
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Weg der Liebe I", op. 20 (Drei Duette) no. 1 (1858), published 1862 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Bonn, N. Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Über die Berge,
Über die Wellen,
Unter den Gräbern,
Unter den Quellen,
Über Fluten und Seen
In der Abgründe Steg,
Über Felsen, über Höhen,
Find't Liebe den Weg!

In Ritzen, in Falten,
Wo der Feu'rwurm nicht liegt,
In Höhlen, in Spalten,
Wo die Fliege nicht kriecht,
Wo Mücken nicht fliegen
Und schlüpfen hinweg,
Kommt Liebe, sie wird siegen
Und finden den Weg.

Sprecht, Amor sei nimmer
Zu fürchten, das Kind!
Lacht über ihn immer,
Als Flüchtling, als blind,
Und schließt ihn durch Riegel
Vom Taglicht hinweg:
Durch Schlösser und Siegel
Find't Liebe den Weg.

Wenn Phönix und Adler
Sich unter euch beugt,
Wenn Drache, wenn Tiger
Gefällig sich neigt,
Die Löwin läßt kriegen
Den Raub sich hinweg,
Kommt Liebe, sie wird siegen
Und finden den Weg.

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by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803)
1. The path to love
Language: English 
Over the mountains,
and over the waves,
under the fountains
and under the graves.
under floods that are deepest
which Neptune obey,
over rocks that are steepest,
love will find out the way.

In rifts where there's no place
for the glow-worm to lie,
In clifts where there's no space
for receipt of a fly;
where the midge dare not venture
lest herself fast she lay,
if love comes, he will enter
and soon find out the way.

You may esteem him
a child for his might,
or you may deem him
a coward from his flight,
but if ne'er so close ye wall him,
do the best that ye may,
blind love, if so ye call him,
will find out the way.

You may train the eagle
to stoop to your fist,
or you may inveigle
the phoenix of the East,
the lioness, ye may move her
to give o'er her prey,
but you'll ne'er stop a lover,
he will find out the way.

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: 2003-11-10
Line count: 32
Word count: 165

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Weg der Liebe II
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Weg der Liebe II", op. 20 (Drei Duette) no. 2 (1858), published 1862 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Bonn, N. Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Den gordischen Knoten,
Den Liebe sich band,
Kann brechen, kann lösen
Ihn sterbliche Hand?
Was müht ihr, was sinnet
Ihr listigen Zweck?
Durch was ihr beginnet,
Find't Liebe den Weg.

Und wär' er verriegelt,
Und wär' er verkannt,
Sein Name versiegelt
Und nimmer genannt,
Mitleidige Winde,
Ihr schlüpftet zu mir
Und brächtet mir Zeitung
Und brächtet ihn mir.

Wär'st fern über Bergen,
Wär'st fern über'm Meer:
Ich wandert' durch Berge,
Ich schwämme durchs Meer;
Wärst, Liebchen, ein' Schwalbe
Und schlüpftest am Bach,
Ich, Liebchen, wär' Schwalbe
Und schlüpfte dir nach.

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by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803)
2. Love's pathway II
Language: English 
The Gordian knot
Which love has tied,
Can it be broken, can it be untied
By mortal hands?
What are you striving for? What are you devising
With your cunning purposes?
Through what you are setting about
Love will find the way.

And if he were bolted up,
And if he were wrongly condemned,
With his name sealed off
And never uttered,
Sympathetic winds,
You would fly out to me
And bring me news
And bring him to me.

If you were far away across the mountains,
If you were far away across the sea,
I would hike through the mountains,
I would swim through the sea;
If, my love, you were a swallow
And you flew out by the stream,
I, my love, would be a swallow
And fly out to follow you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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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Translations of title(s):
"Weg der Liebe II" = "Love's pathway II"
"Weg der Liebe" = "Love's pathway"



This text was added to the website: 2019-02-24
Line count: 24
Word count: 134

Translation © by Malcolm Wren
3. Die Meere
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Die Meere", op. 20 (Drei Duette) no. 3 (1860), published 1862 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Bonn, N. Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Alle Winde schlafen
Auf dem Spiegel der Flut;
Kühle Schatten des Abends
Decken die Müden zu.

Luna hängt sich Schleier
Über ihr Gesicht,
Schwebt in dämmernden Träumen
Über die Wasser hin.

Alles, Alles stille
Auf dem weiten Meer!
Nur mein Herz will nimmer
Mit zu Ruhe gehn.

In der Liebe Fluten
Treibt es her und hin,
Wo die Stürme nicht ruhen,
Bis der Nachen sinkt.

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by Wilhelm Müller (1794 - 1827)
3. The Sea
Language: English 
 The winds are all sleeping
 on the mirror of the water;
 cool shadows of evening
 cover the weary.
 
 Luna draws a veil
 across her face,
 hovering in twilight dreams
 over the water.
 
 Everything, everything is silent
 on the broad sea!
 Only my heart will never
 be at peace.
 
 The tide of love
 drives it here and there,
 where storms do not rest
 until the little boat sinks.

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:

Based on:

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Translations of titles
"Die Meere" = "The Sea"
"Auf die Meere" = "On the Sea"



This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 68

Translation © by Emily Ezust