English translations of Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 96

by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)

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1. Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 96 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1 (1884), published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht,
Das Leben ist der schwüle Tag.
Es dunkelt schon, mich schläfert,
Der Tag hat mich müd gemacht.

Über mein Bett erhebt sich ein Baum,
Drin singt die junge Nachtigall;
Sie singt von lauter Liebe -
Ich hör es sogar im Traum.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. Death is the cool night
Language: English 
Death is the cool night;
Life is the sultry day.
It is growing dark already, and I feel drowsy, 
The day has made me weary.

Above my bed stands a tree
In which the young nightingale sings;
It sings of sonorous love -
And I even hear it in my dreams.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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: 50

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Wir wandelten
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Wir wandelten", op. 96 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2 (1884), published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wir wandelten, wir zwei zusammen,
ich war so still und du so stille,
ich gäbe viel, um zu erfahren,
was du gedacht in jenem Fall.

Was ich gedacht, unausgesprochen verbleibe das!
Nur Eines sag' ich:
So schön war alles, was ich dachte,
so himmlisch heiter war es all'.

In meinem Haupte die Gedanken, 
sie läuteten wie gold'ne Glöckchen:
so wundersüß, so wunderlieblich 
ist in der Welt kein and'rer Hall.

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Confirmed with Georg Friedrich Daumer, Polydora, ein weltpoetisches Liederbuch, zweiter Band, Frankfurt am Main: Literarische Anstalt, 1855, page 127. Appears in Völkerstimmen in bunter Reihe, in Magyarisch, no. 23.


by Georg Friedrich Daumer (1800 - 1875)
2. We wandered
Language: English 
We wandered together, the two of us,
I was so quiet and you so still,
I would give much to know
What you were thinking at that moment.

What I was thinking, let it remain unuttered!
Only one thing will I say:
So lovely was all that I thought - 
So heavenly and fine was it all.

The thoughts in my head
Rang like little golden bells:
So marvellously sweet and lovely
That in the world there is no other echo.

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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 80

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Es schauen die Blumen
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Es schauen die Blumen", op. 96 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3 (1884), published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es schauen die Blumen alle
Zur leuchtenden Sonne hinauf;
Es nehmen die Ströme alle
Zum leuchtenden Meere den Lauf.

Es flattern die Lieder alle
Zu meinem leuchtenden Lieb -
Nehmt mit meine Tränen und Seufzer,
Ihr Lieder, wehmütig und trüb!

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Note: this text can also be found as an appendix to Buch der Lieder under the heading "Zu Lyrisches Intermezzo". First published in 1822 in Gesellschafter oder Blätter für Geist und Herz, a Berlin periodical
by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. All the flowers gaze
Language: English 
All the flowers gaze
up to the brilliant sun;
All the streams run
to the gleaming sea.

All songs flutter
to my bright love -
Take along with you my tears and sighs,
You songs so mournful and dreary!

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: 38

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Meerfahrt  [sung text not yet checked]
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Meerfahrt", op. 96 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4 (1884), published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Liebchen, wir sassen beisammen,
Traulich im leichten Kahn.
Die Nacht war still, und wir schwammen
Auf weiter Wasserbahn.

Die Geisterinsel, die schöne,
Lag dämm'rig im Mondenglanz;
Dort klangen liebe Töne,
Dort wogte der Nebeltanz.

Dort klang es lieb und lieber,
Und wogt' es hin und her;
Wir aber schwammen vorüber,
Trostlos auf weitem Meer.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 147.


by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4. My darling, we sat together
Language: English 
My darling, we sat together,
Comfortably in the light little boat;
The night was still, and we floated
on the broad watery road.

The ghostly island, the lovely one,
lay duskily in the moonlight;
there rang out lovely tones,
there the dancing mists waved.

The sounds there grew lovelier and lovelier,
and the dance surged back and forth;
but we floated past,
Comfortless on the wide sea.

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:

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This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 67

Translation © by Emily Ezust