English translations of Sechs Gesänge, opus 16

by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892)

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1. Du liebes Auge
 (Sung text)
by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Du liebes Auge", op. 16 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 1, published 1852 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du liebes Auge, willst dich tauchen,
In meines Aug's geheimste Tiefe,
Zu spähen, wo in blauen Gründen
Verborgen eine Perle schliefe?

Du liebes Auge, tauche nieder,
Und in die klare Tiefe dringe
Und lächle, wenn ich dir dein Bildniß
Als schönste Perle wiederbringe.

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by Otto Roquette (1824 - 1896)
1. You dear eyes
Language: English 
You dear eyes, would you submerge yourselves
Into the most secret depths of my eyes,
To espy, where in blue seabeds
A pearl sleeps concealed?

You dear eyes, plunge down,
And penetrate into the clear depths,
And smile when I return to you
[Your own]1 image as the most beautiful pearl.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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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Translations of title(s):
"Du liebes Auge willst dich tauchen" = "You dear eyes, would you submerge yourself"
"Du liebes Auge" = "You dear eyes"
"Perlenfischer" = "Pearl fishers"

1 Wolf: "this"


This text was added to the website: 2017-09-29
Line count: 8
Word count: 52

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Im Sommer
 (Sung text)
by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Im Sommer", op. 16 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 2, published 1852 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie Feld und Au
So blinkend im Thau!
Wie Perlen-schwer
Die Pflanzen umher!
Wie durch's Gebüsch 
Die Winde so frisch!
Wie laut, im hellen Sonnenstrahl,
Die süßen Vöglein allzumahl!

Ach! aber da,
Wo Liebchen ich sah,
Im Kämmerlein,
So nieder und klein,
So rings bedeckt,
Der Sonne versteckt --
Wo blieb die Erde weit und breit
Mit aller ihrer Herrlichkeit?

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Modern German would change the following spellings: "Thau" -> "Tau", "allzumahl" -> "allzumal"

Note: Goethe mistakenly included this poem in his works in 1815. Several composers therefore attributed it erroneously to him (including Wolf and Franz). Referenced in Max Friedlaender's Das deutsche Lied im 18. Jahrhundert, Stuttgart: J. G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1902, reprint: Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1962.

sometimes misattributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) and by Johann Georg Jacobi (1740 - 1814)
2. Summer song
Language: English 
Like field and meadow
Gleaming in the dew!
Heavy as pearls
Are the plants around!
And through the bushes
The wind is so fresh!
And loud in the bright sunbeam
Are the sweet small birds!
 
Oh, but there
Where my sweetheart I saw
In the little chamber
So lowly and small
Thus covered round about
Hidden from the sun
Where the earth remained far and broad
With all of its splendor!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by David Guess, (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: 2011-04-30
Line count: 16
Word count: 71

Translation © by David Guess
3. Der Fichtenbaum  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Der Fichtenbaum", op. 16 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 3, published 1852 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein [Fichtenbaum]1 steht einsam
Im Norden auf kahler Höh';
Ihn schläfert; mit weißer Decke
Umhüllen ihn Eis und Schnee.

Er träumt von einer Palme,
Die fern im Morgenland,
Einsam und [schweigend]2 trauert
Auf brennender Felsenwand.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 137.

1 Biegeleben: "Tannenbaum"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Marx: "schweigsam"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. A spruce-tree stands alone
Language: English 
 A spruce-tree stands alone
 in the north, on the bare heights;
 it slumbers; in a white blanket
 it is surrounded by ice and snow.
 
 It dreams of a palm tree
 which, far-off in the land of the morning,
 grieves, alone and mute,
 on a burning, rocky wall.

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: 48

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Abends
 (Sung text)
by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Abends", op. 16 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 4, published 1852 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Abendlich schon rauscht der Wald
Aus den tiefsten Gründen,
Droben wird der Herr nun bald
Die Stern' anzünden,
Wie so stille in den Schlünden,
Abendlich nur rauscht der Wald.

Alles geht zu seiner Ruh,
Wald und Welt versausen,
Schauernd hört der Wandrer zu,
Sehnt sich wohl nach Hause,
Hier in Waldes stiller Klause
Herz, geh' endlich du auch zur Ruh!

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by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
4. Evening breezes rustle yet in the wood
Language: English 
Evening breezes rustle yet in the wood
from the deepest grounds;
above the lord will now soon
light the stars.
How silent in the chasms!
Just evening breezes in the wood.

Everything goes to its rest.
[Wood and world vanish]1; 
shuddering, the wanderer listens,
[yearning]2 for home.
Here in the [green]3 hermitage of the forest,
Heart, at last, you too go to rest.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Jakob Kellner, (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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1 Hensel: "as the world fades away"
2 Hensel: "yearning deeply"
3 Franz: "quiet"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66

Translation © by Jakob Kellner
5. Weißt du noch?  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Weißt du noch?", op. 16 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 5, published 1852 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Weißt du noch, wie ich am [Felsen]1
Bei den Veilchen dich belauschte?
Weißt du noch den Fliederstrauch,
Wo der Strom vorüber rauschte?
Weißt du noch den Bergespfad,
Wo ich um den Strauß dich bat,
  Weißt du noch?

Ach, es war ein süßes Bild,
Als du da errötend standest
Und zur Erde all die Blumen
Fielen, die zum Strauß du [wandest]2!
Deine liebe kleine Hand
Spielte mit dem blauen Band,
  Weißt du noch?

Und es sahen Fels und Strom
Dein Erröten und dein Beben,
Sahen auch den ersten Kuß,
Halb genommen, halb gegeben!
Und des Himmels goldner Strahl
Ueberflog Gebirg und Thal;
  Weißt du noch?

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Confirmed with Otto Roquette, Liederbuch, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta’scher Verlag, 1852, pages 57-58

1 Abt, Fischer, Fischhof, Lammers, Pauls: "Fels" (according to Hofmeister) ; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Blumenthal: "bandest"

by Otto Roquette (1824 - 1896)
5. Do you still remember?
Language: English 
Do you still remember, how at the rock
By the violets I eavesdropped on you?
Do you still remember the lilac bush
Where the river rushed past?
Do you still remember the mountain path
Where I asked you for your bouquet,
  Do you still remember?

Ah, it was a sweet image
When you stood there blushing
And all the flowers fell to earth,
[The flowers] that you were [twining]1 into a bouquet!
Your dear little hand
Played with the blue ribbon,
  Do you still remember?

And the rocks and river saw
Your blushing and your trembling,
Saw, too, the first kiss,
Half taken, half given!
And the golden beam from heaven
Skimmed over mountain and valley;
  Do you still remember?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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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Translations of title(s):
"Weißt du noch?" = "Do you still remember?"
"Weisst du noch wie ich am Fels" = "Do you still remember, how I at the rock"
"Weisst du noch, wie ich am Felsen" = "Do you still remember, how I at the rock"

1 Blumenthal: "binding"


This text was added to the website: 2018-02-01
Line count: 21
Word count: 121

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
6. Um Mitternacht
 (Sung text)
by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Um Mitternacht", op. 16 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 6, published 1852 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling
Language: German (Deutsch) 
            Um Mitternacht
      Ruht die ganze Erde nun,
   Doch heimliche, stille Liebe wacht,
      Wann könnte die Liebe ruhn? 
Darf sie am liebsten Herzen nicht weilen,
Muß sie auf Sturmes Flügeln eilen, 
Kann nicht rasten, muß jagen und wagen,
            Jauchzen und klagen,
   Und sie wandert verstohlen und sacht
            Um Mitternacht. 

   Um Mitternacht beim Sternenglanz
      Schwingt vom Lager sich empor
   Zu heimlicher Lust, zum Elfentanz
      Der nächtliche Geisterchor. 
Nicht der Gestorbenen Schatten und Schemen,
Die um verlorene Herzen sich grämen,
Nein! die lebendige, liebende Seele
            Sucht, was ihr fehle,
   Sucht und findet, und jubelt und lacht
            Um Mitternacht. 

   Um Mitternacht im heißen Traum
      Kann nicht ruh'n die Seele mir, 
   Sie fliegt auf der Wolken gold'nem Saum,
      Will fliegen, mein Kind, zu dir: 
Oft schon sind sie, die neckischen Jungen,
Meine Gedanken zu dir gedrungen,
   Um mir von deinem rosigen Munde
            Himmlische Kunde
Küßend zu rauben, verstohlen und sacht
            Um Mitternacht.

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by (Karl) Wilhelm Osterwald (1820 - 1887)
6.
[Translation not yet available]