English translations of Vier deutsche Lieder, opus 6

by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880)

1. An ___
 (Sung text)
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "An ___", op. 6 (Vier deutsche Lieder) no. 1, published <<1838 [ voice and piano ], note: first published in München (Munich) by F. A. Schäffer without an opus number; designated in 1867 as opus 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich schnitt' es gern in alle Rinden ein!
Ich grüb' es gern in jeden Kieselstein!
Ich möcht' es sä'n in jedes grüne Beet
Mit Kressen-Samen, der es schnell verräth!
Auf jedes leere Blättchen möcht' ich's schreieben: --
Dein ist mein Herz und wird es ewig bleiben! --
 
Könnt' ich's, ich macht' es allen Wesen kund,
Ich wollt', mit mir spräch's jeder Menschenmund,
Ach! säng' es doch der Nachtigallen-Chor,
Ach! träg' es doch die munt're Lerche vor,
O! könnt' ich's täglich tausendmal Dir schreiben: --
Dein ist mein Herz und wird es ewig bleiben! --
 
Wie selig ist, wer Dich die Seine nennt!
Dem deiner Liebe schöne Flamme brennt!
Wohl mir! ich habe dieses Glück erstrebt,
Hab' meines Daseyns Hochgenuß erlebt,
Mit meinem Blut möcht' sterbend ich's noch schreiben:
Dein ist mein Herz und wird es ewig bleiben! --

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( G. T. ) , "Lied"

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Confirmed with: Der deutsche Horizont. Ein humoristisches Blatt für Zeit, Geist und Sitte, Zweiter Jahrgang, Nro. 21, München 5. Februar 1832, page 166.

Note: the first stanza may be a tribute to (or a plagiarism of) Wilhelm Müller's Ungeduld.

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
1.
Language: English 
I would like to carve it into the bark of every tree!
I would like to chisel it into every pebble!
I would like to sow it into every green garden bed
Using cress seeds, so that it would quickly be revealed!
Upon every blank little sheet of paper I would like to write it: --
Yours is my heart and shall remain yours forever! --

If I could, I would tell every living thing.
I wish every person's mouth would speak [these words] with me.
Ah, if the choir of nightingales would only sing it,
Ah, if the merry lark would only perform it,
Oh, if I could daily write it to you a thousand times:
Yours is my heart and shall remain yours forever.

How happy is he who calls you his own,
For whom the beautiful flame of your love burns.
It is well for me that I have sought this good fortune.
I have experienced the high ecstasy of my existence.
With my blood I would even in death still wish to write it:
Yours is my heart and shall remain yours forever.

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: 

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Translated titles:
"Lied" = "Song"
"An____" = "To____"


This text was added to the website: 2006-11-10
Line count: 18
Word count: 185

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Lied
 (Sung text)
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Lied", op. 6 (Vier deutsche Lieder) no. 2, published <<1838, stanzas 1(lines1-5,7-8),2(lines1-5,7-8),3(lines1-5,7-8) [ voice and piano ], note: first published in München (Munich) by F. A. Schäffer without an opus number; designated in 1867 as opus 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Liebe findet schnell die Worte,
Wenn sie einsam sehnend geht,
Liebe die am rechten Ort
Ganz zur Unzeit stille steht,
Alles weiss sie sich zu sagen
 ... 
Nichts vergisset sie zu fragen,
Nur die Antwort bleibt zurück.

Bricht die lang ersehnte Stunde
Endlich wunderbar herein,
Liegt ein Schloß vor ihrem Mund
Und sie fragt 
spricht nicht Ja noch Nein;
Alles ist hinab getauchet
 ... 
Eh' die Lippe: Liebe! hauchet
Tönt 
Ist es Liebe was sie spricht.

Liebe läßt sich still genügen,
Braucht zu Worten wenig Zeit,
Trinkt in vollen Lebens-Züg'n
Ihre seel'ge Ewigkeit.
Liebe fragt nach weiter Keinen,
 ... 
Und was die als drittes meinen
Ist nur immer sie dabei.

Text Authorship:

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Confirmed with: Die Sängerfahrt. Eine Neujahrsgabe für Freunde der Dichtkunst und Mahlerey,gesammelt von Friedrich Förster, Berlin: in der Maurerschen Buchhandlung, 1818, pages 119-120.

Note: the published song by Lang erroneously attributes this text to "Brecht" but the poet given in the table of contents of the above book is "Gottwalt".
by Johann Georg Seegemund (1794 - 1877), as Gottwalt
2. Song
Language: English 
Love quickly finds words
When it walks alone and in longing,
Love which [near the beloved]
Is struck mute in the most untimely fashion.
It knows everything to say to itself,
[ ... ]
It forgets to ask nothing.
Only the answer is held back.

If the long-awaited hour
Finally and magically comes,
Then it is as if a lock is upon [love's] lips
And it [asks]1 neither yes nor no.
Everything is sunk into the depths,
[ ... ]
Before the lips can breathe love
It is love [that rings out when]2 they speak.

Love is quietly satisfied,
Needs little time for words.
It drinks its blessed eternity
In great draughts of life.
Love does not care about anyone else
[ ... ]
And what others imagine to be a threesome [lover, beloved, and love itself]
Is actually always love alone.

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: 

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Translated titles:
"Gewährung" = "Permission"
"Lied" = "Song"

1 Lang: "says"
2 Lang: "that"


This text was added to the website: 2006-11-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 155

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Frühzeitiger Frühling
 (Sung text)
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Frühzeitiger Frühling", op. 6 (Vier deutsche Lieder) no. 3 (1830 or earlier), published <<1838 [ voice and piano ], note: first published in München (Munich) by F. A. Schäffer without an opus number; designated in 1867 as opus 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Tage der Wonne,
Kommt ihr so bald?
Schenkt mir die Sonne
Hügel und Wald?
Reichlicher fließen
Bächlein zumal,
Sind es die Wiesen?
Ist es das Tal?

Unter des Grünen
Blühender Kraft
Naschen die Bienlein
Summend vom Saft.
Buntes Gefieder
Rauschet im Hain,
Himmlische Lieder
Schallen darein!

Mächtiger rühret
Bald sich ein Hauch,
Doch er verlieret
Gleich sich im Strauch.
Aber zum Busen
Kehrt er zurück,
Helfet ihr Musen
Tragen das Glück!

Leise Bewegung
Bebt in der Luft,
Reizende Regung
Schläfernder Duft.
Saget seit gestern
Wie mir geschah
Liebliche Schwestern,
Liebchen ist da!

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3. Early spring
Language: English 
Days of joy,
Have you come so soon?
To give me the sun,
Hill and Forest?

Amply flow
the brooklets again,
Are those meadows?
Is this a valley?

Under the greenery's
Blooming, thriving effort
The little bees dine,
Humming, on nectar. 
Colorful plumage
Rustles in the grove,
Heavenly songs
Resound therein!

Powerfully stirs
a breath of air,
Yet it loses
itself in a bush.
But to the bosom
It turns back,
Help [me], o Muses,
To bear [this] happiness!

Gentle movements
shake in the fresh air,
the lovely stirring
Of sleepy fragrance.
Tell me how, since yesterday,
it happened to me,
lovely sisters -
My sweetheart is there!

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.


Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 107

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Geisternähe
by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Geisternähe", op. 6 (Vier deutsche Lieder) no. 4, published <<1838, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], note: first published in München (Munich) by F. A. Schäffer without an opus number; designated in 1867 as opus 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
      Der Dämmerung Schein
      Durchblick sic den Hain;
Hier, beim Geräusch des Wasserfalles,
Denk' ich nur dich, o du mein Alles!

      Dein Zauberbild
      Erscheint, so mild
Wie Hesper im Abendgolde,
Dem fernen Freund, geliebte Holde!

      Er sehnt wie hier
      Sich stets nach dir;
Fest, wie den Stamm die Eppichranke,
Umschlingt Dich liebend sein Gedanke.

 ...

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by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831)
4. Near spirits
Language: English 
 The gleam of twilight
 illuminates the grove;
 here, by the rushing of the waterfall,
 I think only of you, o you, my Everything!

 Your magical image
 appears so mild,
 like Hesperus in the golden glow of evening,
 to your distant friend, my beloved!

 He yearns, as here,
 after you;
 as firmly as tendrils of ivy on a tree-trunk,
 his thoughts cling lovingly to you.

[ ... ]

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.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 142

Translation © by Emily Ezust