English translations of Drei Lieder, opus 23

by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880)

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1. In Welschland
 (Sung text)
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "In Welschland", op. 23 (Drei Lieder) no. 1 (1849), published 1859 [ voice and piano ], Stuttgart: Verlag der Ebner'schen Kunst- und Musikhandlung
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Hier unter welschen Bäumen,
Orangen und Zitronen,
Wie süß ist's hier zu wohnen,
Wie süß ist's hier zu träumen!

  Wie süß ist's hier zu träumen
Von goldnen Jugendspielen,
Wo tausend Wunder fielen
Auf uns von allen Bäumen!

  Wie süß, die Zeit verträumen,
Gewiegt vom Arm der Liebe,
Und all das Weltgetriebe,
Den Haß und Neid versäumen!

  Die Zeit scheint auch zu säumen,
Versunken in Entzücken.
Wen Götter so beglücken,
Darf ewig jung sich träumen.

  Wie süß ist's hier zu träumen,
Wie süß ist's hier zu wohnen,
Im Dufte von Zitronen
Und von Orangenbäumen!

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Confirmed with C. Reinhold, Gedichte, Stuttgart: Carl Mäcken, 1853, page 85.

Note for stanza 4, line 3, word 1: this word was erroneously rendered as "Wenn" in the first publication of Lang's song and has been corrected to "Wen". No song manuscript has this error.


by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856)
1. In Italy
Language: English 
   Here under Italian trees,
Orange-trees and lemon-trees,
How sweet it is to dwell here!
How sweet it is to dream here!

   How sweet it is to dream here
Of the golden games of youth,
Where a thousand wonders rained
Upon us from every tree!

   How sweet to dream away the time
Rocked in the arms of love,
And to avoid all the mad whirl of the world,
All the hate and jealousy.

   Time, too, seems to linger,
Sunk in rapture.
Him whom the gods make so happy
May dream himself young forever.

   How sweet it is to dream here!
How sweet it is to dwell here
In the scent of lemons
And of orange trees!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 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: 2006-12-07
Line count: 20
Word count: 116

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Wenn du wärst mein eigen
 (Sung text)
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Wenn du wärst mein eigen", op. 23 (Drei Lieder) no. 2 (1840), published 1840/1, lines 1-10,17,18,25-30 [ voice and piano ], München: K. b. Hof Musikalien-Handlung von Falter & Sohn und Jos. Aibl (1840/1); Stuttgart: Verlag der Ebner'schen Kunst- und Musikhandlung (1859)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Ach, wenn du wärst mein eigen,
  Wie lieb sollt'st du mir sein,
  Wie wollt' ich tief im Herzen
  Nur hegen dich allein,
Und alle Wonn' und alles Glück
Mir schöpfen nur aus deinem Blick.
  Ach, wenn du wärst mein eigen,
  Wie wär' die Welt dann schön,
  Es bliebe nichts zu wünschen,
  Als stets -- dich anzuseh'n;
 ... 
Mein höchster Lohn, mein höchstes Glück
Erglänzte mir in deinem Blick.
 ... 
  Ach, wenn du wärst mein eigen,
  Bis einst mein Auge bricht,
  So würd' ich droben sagen:
  "Ich laß dich ewig nicht!
"Im Himmel selbst ohn' dich kein Glück!"
Das ist mein Trost, mein Hoffnungsblick.

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by Ida Marie Luise Sophie Friederike Gustava Hahn-Hahn (1805 - 1880)
2. If you belonged to me
Language: English 
  Ah, if you belonged to me,
  How I should treasure you!
  How would I cherish you alone
  Deep in my heart,
And all joy and all happiness
I would draw only from your gaze!
  Ah, if you belonged to me
  How beautiful the world would be!
  There would be nothing left to wish for
  But only to look at you all the time.
[ ... ]
My highest reward, my greatest happiness
Would glow for me from your gaze!
[ ... ]
  Ah, if you belonged to me
  Until once I die!
  I would say on high:
  I shall not leave [him]1 in all eternity.
Even in heaven, there can be no joy without [him]1.
That is my comfort and my hope!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 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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Translated titles:
"Ach, wenn du wärst mein eigen" = "Ah, if you belonged to me"
"Wenn du wärst mein eigen" = "If you belonged to me"

1 Lang: "you"


This text was added to the website: 2006-12-07
Line count: 30
Word count: 199

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Der Himmel mit all' seinen Sonnen wär' mein
 (Sung text)
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Der Himmel mit all' seinen Sonnen wär' mein", op. 23 (Drei Lieder) no. 3 (1837), published 1859 [ voice and piano ], Stuttgart: Verlag der Ebner'schen Kunst- und Musikhandlung
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es säuselt der Wind durch die Tannenwipfel
Wie Geister weh'n leicht durch schweigende Nacht,
Und hinter des Berges schattigen Gipfel
Erhebt sich der Mond in silberner Pracht!
Er schauet herab aus der luftigen Höh',
Malt lächelnd sein Bild in dem spiegelnden See.
Was nützt mir sein ruhiger, schmeichelnder Schein;
Mich kann er nicht freuen; ich seh' ihn allein!

Am Himmel wohl glänzen viel tausend Sterne,
Viel leuchtende Perlen auf blumigen Au'n;
Doch ist mir das Liebste auf Erden so ferne,
So mag ich auch Sterne und Perlen nicht schau'n!
Hing lieber der Himmel von Wolken rings schwer
Und säh' ich nicht Sonne und Sterne auch mehr,
Mir strahlte dein Auge im liebenden Schein,
Der Himmel mit all' seinen Sonnen wär' mein!

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by Josephine Stieler née von Miller (1809 - 1890)
3. Heaven with all of its suns
would be mine
Language: English 
The wind is rustling through the tops of the pines
As spirits waft gently through the silent night,
And behind the shadowy peaks of the mountains
The moon rises in silvery grandeur!
[The moon] gazes down from the lofty heights;
It smilingly paints its face in the mirror-like lake.
What good is [the moon's] quiet, flattering glow to me?
It cannot make me happy; [for] I see it alone!

Many thousands of stars shine in the heavens,
Many pearly flowers on the blooming meadows;
But what is dearest to me on earth is so far away
That I do not wish to see the stars and the flowers!
It would be better if the sky were heavy with clouds,
And I could no longer see the sun and the stars;
If your eyes glowed lovingly before me,
Then heaven and all of its suns would be mine!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 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: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2006-12-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 147

Translation © by Sharon Krebs