English translations of Lieder, opus 3

by Adolf Busch (1891 - 1952)

1. Wonne der Wehmut
 (Sung text)
by Adolf Busch (1891 - 1952), "Wonne der Wehmut", op. 3 (Lieder) no. 1 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Trocknet nicht, trocknet nicht,
Thränen der ewigen Liebe!
Ach! nur dem halbgetrockneten Auge
Wie öde, wie todt die Welt ihm erscheint!
Trocknet nicht, trocknet nicht,
Thränen unglücklicher Liebe!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
1. The joy of sadness
Language: English 
Do not run dry, do not run dry,
Tears of eternal love!
Even to the half-dry eye
How desolate and dead the world appears!
Do not run dry, do not run dry,
Tears of unhappy love!

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:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Wonne der Wehmut" = "The joy of sadness"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 6
Word count: 36

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Nacht
 (Sung text)
by Adolf Busch (1891 - 1952), "Nacht", op. 3 (Lieder) no. 2 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich wandre durch die stille Nacht,
Da schleicht der Mond so heimlich sacht
Oft aus der dunklen Wolkenhülle,
Und hin und her im Tal,
Erwacht die Nachtigall
Dann wieder alles grau und stille.

O wunderbarer Nachtgesang,
Von fern im Land der Ströme Gang,
Leis Schauern in den dunklen Bäumen --
Wirr'st die Gedanken mir,
Mein irres Singen hier 
Ist wie ein Rufen nur aus Träumen.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

First published in the appendices to the novellas Taugenichts and Marmorbild, 1826 in the cycle Nachtbilder (no. 1)

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
2. I wander through the quiet night
Language: English 
I wander through the quiet night;
the moon floats so secretly and gently,
often emerging from a dark cover of clouds.
And here and there in the valley
a nightingale awakens
but then all is gray and still again.

O wonderful night-song
from distant parts - the rushing of a stream
and the soft shuddering in the dark trees
confuse my thoughts.
My clamorous singing here
is only like a cry from my dreams.

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:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 73

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Der Blick
 (Sung text)
by Adolf Busch (1891 - 1952), "Der Blick", op. 3 (Lieder) no. 3 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Schaust du mich aus deinen Augen
Lächelnd, wie aus Himmeln an,
Fühl ich wohl, daß keine Lippe
Solche Sprache führen kann.

Könnte sie's auch wörtlich sagen,
Was dem Herzen tief entquillt;
Still den Augen aufgetragen,
Wird es süßer nur erfüllt.

Und ich seh des Himmels Quelle
Die mir lang verschlossen war,
Wie sie bricht aus reinster Helle
Aus dem reinsten Augenpaar.

Und ich öffne still im Herzen
Alles, alles diesem Blick,
Und den Abgrund meiner Schmerzen
Füllt er strömend aus mit Glück.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
3. The glance
Language: English 
When you look at me with your eyes 
smiling as if from heaven,
I feel certain that no lips
could speak such a language1.

If only they could say literally
what springs from deep within the heart;
[but] silently assigned to the eyes,
it will all the sweeter be fulfilled.

And I see heaven's fountain
that long had been locked to me,
as it breaks with purest brightness
from the purest pair of eyes;

I open everything in my heart
quietly to that glance,
and it fills the abyss of my suffering,
streaming with joy.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 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:

Go to the general single-text view

View original text (without footnotes)
Translation revised 09-26-09 with very helpful suggestions by Bertram Kottmann.
1 i.e., the language of the eyes


This text was added to the website: 2009-09-24
Line count: 16
Word count: 97

Translation © by Emily Ezust