English translations of 3 Lieder, opus 27

by Heinrich Esser (1818 - 1872)

1. Gute Nacht
 (Sung text)
by Heinrich Esser (1818 - 1872), "Gute Nacht", op. 27 (3 Lieder) no. 1, published 1849 [ voice and piano ], Mainz, Schott
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es soll kein Tag sich enden,
    Daß nicht zu dir, o Herz!
Sich meine Sinne wenden
    Voll Liebeslust und Schmerz;
Daß nicht zu dir mit Schweigen
    Aus meiner Seele Schacht
Viel hundert Grüße steigen
    Zur süßen Gute Nacht!
 
Daß nicht die alten Zeiten,
    Da mir dein Auge schien,
An mir vorübergleiten,
    Leise, wie Geister ziehn;
Daß nicht von künft'gen Tagen
    Ein morgenhelles Bild
Mit wonnevollem Zagen
    Das tiefste Herz mir füllt!
 
Und will ich dann mich legen,
    O dann, du holde Braut,
Sprech' wie zum Abendsegen
    Ich deinen Namen laut:
Der wird auf raschen Schwingen,
    Ein muntres Vögelein,
Zu dir hinüber klingen
    Bis in dein Herz hinein!
 
Gute Nacht und schlaf' in Frieden,
    Im Schlafe denke mein!
Laß, die im Tag geschieden,
    Zu Nacht verbunden sein!
Laß uns im Traum uns küssen,
    Und halten, Brust an Brust:
O weil wir träumen müssen,
    So sei's ein Traum der Lust!

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Confirmed with Gedichte von R.E. Prutz, Leipzig: Otto Wigand, 1841, pages 320-321.

by Robert Eduard Prutz (1816 - 1872)
1. Good night
Language: English 
No day shall end
    On which, oh Heart!
My senses do not turn to you
    Full of the joy and pain of love;
On which to you in silence
    From the depths of my soul
Many hundreds of greetings to do not rise
    For a sweet Good Night!
 
On which the olden times
    When your eyes beamed upon me
Pass not before me
    Quietly, like ghosts pass;
On which the image of future days --
    Bright as morning --
With blissful hesitation
    Does not fill my heart to its depths!
 
And when I wish to lay myself to rest,
    Oh then, you lovely bride,
Like an evening blessing I speak
    Your name loudly:
On rapid wings, its sound,
    [Like] a spritely little bird,
Shall travel over to you,
    All the way into your heart!
 
Good night and sleep in peace,
    Think of me in your sleep!
Let those whom the day has parted
    Be united in the night!
Let us kiss each other in our dreams,
    And hold each other, breast to breast:
Oh since we must dream,
    Let it be a dream of delight!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 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: 2015-08-12
Line count: 32
Word count: 183

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Meiden  [sung text not yet checked]
by Heinrich Esser (1818 - 1872), "Meiden", op. 27 (3 Lieder) no. 2, published 1849 [ voice and piano ], Mainz, Schott
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es schleicht ein zehrend Feuer
Durch mein [Gebein]1;
Mein Schatt' ist mir nicht treuer
[Wie]2 diese Pein.
Ich höre die Stunden [ziehen]3
Trüben Gesichts;
Sie kommen, weilen, [fliehen]4 --
Und ändern nichts.

Der Sommer kommt gegangen,
[Mir ist's wie]5 Traum;
Am Busch [Wildröslein hangen]6,
Ich acht' es kaum.
Es schlagen die Nachtigallen
[In Wald und Plan]7;
Laß [schallen]8, laß verhallen!
Was geht's mich an?

Ich fühle nur das eine
In meinem Sinn:
Daß ich von dir, du Reine,
Geschieden bin.
Mein Schatt' ist mir nicht treuer
[Wie]9 diese Pein;
[Und zehrend schleicht das Feuer]10
Durch mein Gebein.

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1 Kappeller: "Geblüt"
2 Kappeller, Schachner, Thuille: "Als"
3 Schachner: "zieh'n"
4 Kappeller: "und fliehen"
; Schachner: "flieh'n"
5 Schachner: "Es war ein"
6 Schachner: "Waldröslein hangen"; Thuille: "Waldröslein blühen"
7 Kappeller: "Im Wald und Flur"; Schachner: "Im Wald und Plan"; Thuille: "In Feld und Plan"
8 Thuille: "schlagen"
9 Schachner, Thuille: "Als"
10 Schachner: "Es schleicht ein zehrend Feuer"

by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
2. Shunned
Language: English 
A ravenous fire creeps
Through my bones;
Even my shadow is not as faithful
As this pain.
I hear the passing of the hours’
Clouded apparition;
They come, abide, depart – 
And change nothing.

Summer has come,
It is but a dream for me;
The wild rose hangs upon the bush,
I scarcely notice it.
The nightingale calls
In forest and plain;
Let it resound, let it fade away!
What is it to me?

I feel only a single thing
In my mind:
That I have been separated, pure one,
From you.
Even my shadow is not as faithful
As this pain;
And ravenously the fire creeps
Through my bones.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 by Michael P Rosewall, (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):
"Es schleicht ein zehrend Feuer" = "A ravenous fire creeps"
"Meiden" = "Shunned"



This text was added to the website: 2022-11-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 110

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
3. Frieden  [sung text not yet checked]
by Heinrich Esser (1818 - 1872), "Frieden", op. 27 (3 Lieder) no. 3, published 1849 [ voice and piano ], Mainz, Schott
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Lilien glühn in Düften,
Die Blüthe spielt am Baum;
Hoch zieht in stillen Lüften
[In buntem]1 Schmuck der Traum.

Und wo er blickt, da neigen
Die Blumen das Haupt überall;
Und wo er [zieht]2, da schweigen
Waldrauschen und Nachtigall.

Mir wird das Herz so stille
In dieser milden Nacht;
Es bricht der eigne Wille,
Die alte Lieb' erwacht.

Fast ist's, als käm' ein Grüßen
Auf mich vom Himmelszelt,
Und Frieden möcht' ich schließen
Mit Gott und aller Welt.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel, Berlin: Verlag von Alexander Duncker, 1849, page 90.

1 Thuille: "Im bunten"
2 Thuille: "blickt"

by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
3. Peace
Language: English 
The lilies glow in scents,
The blossom frolics upon the tree;
High up in the silent breezes
The dream travels, colourfully adorned.

And wherever it gazes, there
The flowers bend their heads everywhere;
And wherever it [passes]1 there fall silent
The soughing of the forest and the nightingale.

My heart becomes so quiet
In this mild night;
My own will breaks,
The old love awakens.

It is almost as if a greeting came
Upon me from the heavenly vault,
And I would like to make peace
With God and with the whole world.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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: 

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View original text (without footnotes)

Translations of title(s):
"Die Lilien glühen in Düften" = "The lilies glow in scents"
"Die Lilien glühn" = "The lilies glow"
"Die Lilien glüh'n in Düften" = "The lilies glow in scents"
"Frieden" = "Peace"
"Frühlingsnacht" = "Spring night"
"Nachtgruß" = "Night greeting"
"Nachtlied" = "Night song"

1 Thuille: "gazes"


This text was added to the website: 2024-02-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 93

Translation © by Sharon Krebs