English translations of Lauluja Nikolaus Lenaun ja Friedrich von Schillerin runoihin, opus 2

by Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen (1892 - 1959)

1. Die Einsamkeit
 (Sung text)
by Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen (1892 - 1959), "Die Einsamkeit", op. 2 (Lauluja Nikolaus Lenaun ja Friedrich von Schillerin runoihin) no. 1 (<<1915) [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wild verwachsne dunkle Fichten,
Leise klagt die Quelle fort;
Herz, das ist der rechte Ort
Für dein schmerzliches Verzichten!

Grauer Vogel in den Zweigen,
Einsam deine Klage singt,
Und auf deine Frage bringt
Antwort nicht des Waldes Schweigen.

Wenn's auch immer Schweigen bliebe,
Klage, klage fort; es weht,
Der dich höret und versteht,
Stille hier der Geist der Liebe.

Nicht verloren hier im Moose,
Herz, dein heimlich Weinen geht,
Deine Liebe Gott versteht,
Deine tiefe, hoffnungslose!

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by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
1. Loneliness
Language: English 
[Wild, overgrown,]1 dark firs,
Softly the spring continues to lament;
Heart, this is the right place
For your painful renunciation!

A grey bird in the branches
Sings your lament in a lonely fashion,
And your question is not answered
By the forest's silence.

Even if there were always silence,
Lament, continue to lament.
[A spirit] that hears and understand you
Softly [wafts] here: the spirit of love.

Not lost here among the moss,
Heart, is your secret weeping.
God understands your love,
Your deep, hopeless [love]!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 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 titles
"Einsamkeit" = "Loneliness"
"Die Einsamkeit" = "Loneliness"

1 Schumann: "Wildly overgrown"


This text was added to the website: 2008-01-09
Line count: 16
Word count: 87

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. An Emma
 (Sung text)
by Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen (1892 - 1959), "An Emma", op. 2 (Lauluja Nikolaus Lenaun ja Friedrich von Schillerin runoihin) no. 2 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Weit in nebelgrauer Ferne
Liegt mir das vergang'ne Glück,
Nur an Einem schönen Sterne
Weilt mit Liebe noch der Blick,
Aber wie des Sternes Pracht
Ist es nur ein Schein der Nacht.

Deckte dir der lange Schlummer,
Dir der Tod die Augen zu,
Dich besäße doch mein Kummer,
Meinem Herzen lebtest du.
Aber ach! du lebst im Licht,
Meiner Liebe lebst du nicht.

Kann der Liebe süß Verlangen,
Emma, kann's vergänglich seyn?
Was dahin ist und vergangen,
Emma, kann's die Liebe seyn?
Ihrer Flamme Himmelsglut,
Stirbt sie, wie ein irdisch Gut?

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by Friedrich von Schiller (1759 - 1805)
2. To Emma
Language: English 
 Far in the misty grey distance
 lies my former luck;
 only on one fair star
 does my glance linger with love.
 But, like the splendor of a star,
 it is only the gleam of the night.
 
 Even when long sleep covered you
 and death closed your eyes,
 my woe still kept you alive,
 and you lived in my heart.
 But alas! you live in light,
 and you live no longer for my love.
 
 Can the sweet yearning of love,
 Emma, can it be ephemeral?
 What is gone and past,
 Emma, can it really be Love?
 Heavenly, glowing flame -
 does it die like an earthly thing?

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: 18
Word count: 106

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Waldlieder
 (Sung text)
by Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen (1892 - 1959), "Waldlieder", op. 2 (Lauluja Nikolaus Lenaun ja Friedrich von Schillerin runoihin) no. 3 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Nachtwind hat in den Bäumen
Sein Rauschen eingestellt,
Die Vögel sitzen und träumen
Am Aste traut gesellt.

Die ferne schmächtige Quelle,
Weil alles andre ruht,
Läßt hörbar nun Welle auf Welle
Hinflüstern ihre Flut.

Und wenn die Nähe verklungen,
Dann kommen an die Reih
Die leisen Erinnerungen
Und weinen fern vorbei.

Daß alles vorübersterbe,
Ist alt und allbekannt;
Doch diese Wehmut, die herbe,
Hat niemand noch gebannt.

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by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
3. Forest Songs
Language: English 
The night wind, in the trees,
Has set its rustling,
The birds sit and dream
Trustingly joined on the bough.

A distant, delicate spring,
Because all else is at rest,
One can now hear, ripple upon ripple,
The murmuring of its flow.

And when the here and now recedes,
Then, row by row, come
The quiet memories
And laments long since gone.

The fact that everything eventually dies,
Is old and well known;
Yet this sad awareness, though bitter,
Has not allowed any to avoid it.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 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):
"Aus den Waldliedern von Lenau" = "From the Forest Songs of Lenau"
"Der Nachtwind hat in den Bäumen" = "The night wind in the trees"
"Der Nachtwind hat in den Bäumen sein Rauschen eingestellt" = "The night wind, in the trees has set its rustling"
"Nachtlied" = "Night Song"
"Waldlied" = "Forest Song"
"Waldlieder" = "Forest Songs"



This text was added to the website: 2023-01-15
Line count: 16
Word count: 86

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall