English translations of Vier Gesänge, opus 5

by Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885)

1. Die traurige Hochzeit  [sung text not yet checked]
by Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885), "Die traurige Hochzeit", op. 5 (Vier Gesänge) no. 1, published 1840 [ voice and piano ], Hannover: Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Zu Augsburg in dem hohen Saal
Herr Fugger hielt sein Hochzeitmahl.

Kunigunde hieß die junge Braut,
Saß krank und bleich, gab keinen Laut.

Zwölf goldne Becher gingen herum,
Nichts trank Herr Fugger, so bleich und stumm.

Zwölf Blumenkörbe bot man umher,
Die Braut verlangte kein Blümlein mehr.

Zwölf Harfner lockten zum Fackeltanz,
Die Fackeln gaben so matten Glanz.

Die Gäste tanzten in langen Reih'n,
Zwo weiße Gestalten hinterdrein.

Die Gäste tanzten zum Saal hinaus,
Sie tanzten und tanzten wohl aus dem Haus.

Die Saiten der Harfen sprangen zumal,
Stumm schlichen die Harfner sich aus dem Saal.

Im Saale vernahm man keinen Laut,
Todt saßen im Dunkel Bräut'gam und Braut.

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Confirmed with Die lyrischen Gedichte von Justinus Kerner, Fünfte verbesserte Auflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1854, page 305.


by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)
1. The sad wedding
Language: English 
At Augsburg in the lofty hall
Master Fugger was holding his wedding banquet.

Kunigunde was the name of the young bride,
[She] sat ill and pale, made not a sound.

Twelve golden goblets were passed around,
Master Fugger, so pale and mute, drank nothing.

Twelve baskets of flower were offered to all,
The bride no longer desired any little flowers.

Twelve harpists enticed to the torch-dance,
The torches emitted but a dim glow.

The guests danced in long rows,
Two white figures brought up the rear.

The guests danced out of the hall,
They danced and danced right out of the house.

The strings of the harps all broke,
Mutely the harpists crept out of the hall.

In the hall one could hear no sound,
Dead, in the dark, sat the bridegroom and bride.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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: 2025-12-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 134

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Ich will ja nicht zum Garten geh'n  [sung text not yet checked]
by Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885), "Ich will ja nicht zum Garten geh'n", op. 5 (Vier Gesänge) no. 2, published 1840 [ voice and piano ], Hannover: Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
"Ich will ja nicht [zum]1 Garten gehn,
Will liegen sommerlang,
[Hört' ich die lust'ge]2 Drossel nur,
Die in dem Busche sang."
 
Man fängt dem Kind die Drossel ein,
Im Käfig sitzt sie dort,
Doch singen will sie nicht und hängt
Ihr Köpfchen immerfort.
 
Noch einmal blickt das Kind nach ihr
Mit bittendem Gesicht,
Da schlägt die Drossel schön und hell,
Da glänzt sein Aug' und bricht.

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Confirmed with Uhlands Werke, Erster Teil, Gedichte, herausgegeben von Adalbert Silbermann, Berlin, Leipzig, Wien, Stuttgart: Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong & Co., [no year], page 142

1 Strauss: "in"
2 Strauss: "Hör' ich die liebe"

by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)
2. The thrush
Language: English 
"I would not want to go to the garden,
I would lie here for the whole summer,
[If I could only hear the merry]1 thrush
That sang in the bushes."
 
They catch the thrush for the child,
It sits there in a cage,
But it does not want to sing and hangs
Its little head always.
 
The child looks at it one more time
With a pleading countenance,
Whereupon the thrush throbs beautifully and brightly,
[The child’s] eyes shine and close in death.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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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1 Strauss: "into"
2 Strauss: "If only I hear the dear"


This text was added to the website: 2016-07-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam  [sung text not yet checked]
by Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885), "Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam", op. 5 (Vier Gesänge) no. 3, published 1840 [ voice and piano ], Hannover: Nagel
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

 (The following is a multi-text setting.)

4. Wiegenlied im Kahn 
Schlaf sanft und wohl, mein liebes Kind, 
Dieweil die Engel bei dir sind;
Sie sehen Gottes Angesicht; 
Sie wachen hier und schlummern nicht.

 ...

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "Wiegenlied"

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Confirmed with Sammlung Geistlicher Lieder. Nebst einem Anhang von Gebeten, Basel: bei C.F. Spittler, 1831, pages 277-278.


Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
Fahr leis und leicht mein kleiner Kahn, 
Dir sind die Wogen unterthan. 
Maria sendet ihren Stern, 
Sie schützt des Kindes Schlummer gern. 

Und wenn wir einst im Hafen sind, 
Dann sind wir all' noch einmal Kind, 
Und uns're Wiege war die Welt, 
Bey der Maria Wache hält.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
Author(s): Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
4. Lullaby
Sleep softly and well, my dear child,
Since the angels are with you;
They see the face of God;
They keep watch here and do not slumber.

 ...

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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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Go quietly and lightly, my little barque.
The waves are subservient to you.
The Virgin Mary sends her star,
She gladly protects the child's slumber.

And when we are someday in the harbour,
Then we are all a child again,
And our cradle was the world,
Beside which the Virgin Mary kept watch.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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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Translation © by Sharon Krebs