English translations of Fünf Gedichte, opus 16

by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913)

1. Abendlied
 (Sung text)
by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913), "Abendlied", op. 16 (Fünf Gedichte) no. 1, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie ist der Abend stille,
  Wie milde naht die Nacht,
Sieh, das ist Gottes Wille,
  Der alles ruhen macht.

Es treibt der Hirt die Heerde
  Der lieben Heimath zu,
Und rings die Mutter Erde,
  Hüllt mählich sich in Ruh.

Und schlägt in all dem Frieden
  Unruhig noch dein Herz?
Giebt sich noch nicht zufrieden
  Dein Sorgen und dein Schmerz?

O gieb dich hin der süßen,
  Der stillen Gottesruh, 
Sieh, milde Hände schließen
  Dir alle Wunden zu.

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by Ernst von Wildenbruch (1845 - 1909)
1. Evening song
Language: English 
How quiet is the evening,
 How gently night draws near!
Behold, that is the will of God,
 Who lulls everything to rest.

The shepherd drives his flock
 Toward the beloved home,
And round about, Mother Earth
 Gradually shrouds herself in quietude.

And amidst all this peace
 Does your heart still beat restlessly?
Has your worrying and your pain
 Not yet subsided?

Oh, give yourself over to the sweet,
 The quiet peace of God.
Behold, gentle hands shall [healingly]
 Close all your wounds.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 16
Word count: 82

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Ständchen
 (Sung text)
by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913), "Ständchen", op. 16 (Fünf Gedichte) no. 2, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Rosen und duftende Veilchen
    Bring ich fein Liebchen dir!
O nur ein kleines Weilchen,
    Neige dich her zu mir.

Lass meiner Zither Töne
    Klagen dir all meinen Schmerz.
Nimm sie, du Holde, du Schöne,
    Nimm sie liebreich an das Herz.

Sieh wie der Mond am Himmel
    Leuchtet in stiller Pracht,
Stumm ist der Menschen Getümmel,
    Lautlos und duftig die Nacht.

Könnt' ich dem tiefen Schweigen,
    Das uns traulich umgiebt,
Könnt' ich mein Herze dir zeigen,
    Wüßtest du, wie es dich liebt.

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by Ernst von Wildenbruch (1845 - 1909)
2. Serenade
Language: English 
Roses and fragrant violets
    I bring, my darling, to you!
Oh, only for a little while,
    Incline yourself toward me.

Let the sounds of my zither
    Lamentingly tell you of all my suffering.
Take them, you lovely one, you beautiful one,
    Take them lovingly to your heart.

See how the moon in the heavens
    Shines in quiet splendour,
The bustle of humanity is mute,
    Silent and scented the night.

Could I, in the deep stillness
    That surrounds us intimately,
Could I reveal my heart to you,
    Then you would know how dearly it loves you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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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This text was added to the website: 2013-10-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 95

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Zwei Sträusse
 (Sung text)
by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913), "Zwei Sträusse", op. 16 (Fünf Gedichte) no. 3, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hier von Frühlingsblumen
   Bring' ich einen Strauß,
Wähle, liebes Mädchen,
   Dir die schönsten aus.

Blaue, weiß' und rothe,
   Gar verschied'ner Art,
Aber duftig alle,
   Alle hold und zart.

Hier von Frühlingsliedern
   Bring' ich einen Strauß,
Wähle, liebes Mädchen,
   Dir die liebsten aus.

Klingen gar verschieden,
   Hoffend, sehnsuchtsbang,
Doch es tönt durch alle
   Ein verwandter Klang:

Willst du sie verstehen,
   Schau' ins Auge mir:
Süßes Kind, "er liebt dich"
   Sagt ein jedes dir.

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Confirmed with Lieder und Balladen von Ernst von Wildenbruch, Dritte Auflage, Berlin: Verlag von Freund & Jeckel, 1887, page 36.


by Ernst von Wildenbruch (1845 - 1909)
3. Two bouquets
Language: English 
Here of spring flowers
   I bring a bouquet.
Choose, dear maiden,
  The most beautiful ones for yourself.

Blue, white and red flowers,
   All of different variety,
But all of them fragrant,
   All of them lovely and delicate.

Here of spring songs
   I bring a bouquet,
Choose, dear maiden,
  The ones you like the best.

They sound quite varied,
   Some hopeful, some filled with anxious longing,
But a similar tone
   Rings through them all:

If you wish to understand them,
   Gaze into my eyes:
Sweet child, "he loves you"
   Each one says to you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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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This text was added to the website: 2013-10-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 93

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Der Blumenstrauss
 (Sung text)
by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913), "Der Blumenstrauss", op. 16 (Fünf Gedichte) no. 4, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Stellt mir den Blumenstrauss in das Glas,
Damit er nicht sterbe zu früh,
Denn er hat Augen dunkel und schön,
Augen so süss wie sie.

Stellt mir den Strauss in mein einsam Gemach,
Dass er süss mir durchwürze die Luft,
So haucht er Erinnerung mir in das Herz
Wie hier um mich her seinen Duft.

Wohl weiss ich, die Blumen werden vergeh'n
Trotz Pflege, Sorge und Müh.
Vergehen werd' ich in ihrer Brust,
Vergessen wird mich auch sie.

Heut will ich denken, es sei nicht so
Und gäb auf der Welt kein Vergehn.
Wohl weiß ich, es ist ein thörichter Traum,
Lasst mich träumen, er ist doch so schön.

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by Ernst von Wildenbruch (1845 - 1909)
4. The bouquet
Language: English 
Place the bouquet into the vase for me
So that it does not fade too quickly,
For it has eyes, dark and beautiful,
Eyes as sweet as hers.

Place the bouquet into my lonely chamber,
That it may sweetly fill the air with spicy fragrance.
It wafts remembrance into my heart
As here it wafts its scent around me.

Well do I know that the flowers shall wither
Despite my tending, care, and toil.
I shall pass away within her breast;
She, too, shall forget me.

Today I wish to think that it is not so
And that there is no passing away in this world .
I know well that it is a foolish dream,
But let me dream, for [the dream] is so beautiful.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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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This text was added to the website: 2013-10-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 126

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
5. Letzte Bitte
 (Sung text)
by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913), "Letzte Bitte", op. 16 (Fünf Gedichte) no. 5, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wenn du mich einstmals verlassen wirst,
Künd' es nicht vorher mir an.
Plötzlich tu's, so ist es geschehn,
Plötzlich sterbe ich dann.

Wenn dann mein Bildnis dir wiederkehrt,
Das du vor Zeiten geliebt,
Wenn es wie ein verdorrtes Blatt
Dir vom Baum der Erinnerung stiebt,

Hebe, ach hebe dann nicht den Fuss,
Stosse es nicht von dir fort,
Leise rauschend ertönen wird's
Wie ein verklungenes Wort.

Tätest du's ach, du tätest nicht recht,
Nimmer verdient' ich's um dich.
Wenden würd' ich mich tief ins Grab,
Weinen, weinen bitterlich.

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by Ernst von Wildenbruch (1845 - 1909)
5. Last plea
Language: English 
When you someday shall leave me,
Do not announce it to me beforehand.
Suddenly do it, then it is done;
Suddenly then I shall die.

When then my image returns to you,
[The image] that you loved in former times,
When, like a withered leaf,
It drifts down from your tree of remembrance,

Lift, ah lift not your foot,
Do not thrust it from you;
Softly rustling, it shall sound
Like a word that has died away.

If you did it, ah, you would not do right;
I would never have deserved that from you;
Deep in my grave I would turn
[And] weep, weep bitterly.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2013-10-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 106

Translation © by Sharon Krebs