English translations of Sechs Lieder, opus posth. 9

by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847)

1. Die Ersehnte
 (Sung text)
by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Die Ersehnte", op. posth. 9 no. 1 (1827?), published 1850 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Brächte dich meinem Arm der nächste Frühling!
Tönten Vögel aus Blüten mir das Brautlied,
Dann, dann hätt' ich Seliger
Schon auf Erden Wonne des Himmels.

Wonne! sie wird mir Paradiese zaubern!
Wird lustwandeln mit mir in Gärten Gottes,
Wird in meinen Armen gewiegt
Den Frühlingsabend beflügeln.

Komm, dich rufet die Sehnsuchtsträn' im Auge!
Dich dies wallende Herz voll süßer Ahndung,
Trübe floß' mein Leben,
O Himmelsbotin, komm, es zu heitern.

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by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
1. The one so yearned for
Language: English 
 If only the next spring would bring you to my arms!
 If only the birds would sing me my wedding song from the blossoms,
 Then, then I would be blessed
 on earth with the bliss of heaven.
 
 Ecstasy! She will conjure paradise for me!
 She will gladly wander with me in God's garden;
 she will rock in my arms
 and give wings to the spring evening.
 
 Come, the tears of yearning in my eye call to you!
 and this fluttering heart, full of sweet foreboding!
 Dismally flowed my life -
 O messenger of heaven, come to cheer it.

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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Line count: 12
Word count: 98

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Ferne
 (Sung text)
by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Ferne", op. posth. 9 no. 2 (1823), published 1850, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
O alte Heimat süß!
Wo find' ich wieder dich?
Welch ein Qual ist dies?
Warum verfolgst du mich?
Warum ertötest mich?

O ferner Liebesschein,
Glimmst wieder nach mir her?
Soll dies mein Glücke sein?
Mir fällt das Leid zu schwer, --
Wer denkt wohl meiner, wer?

Bald such' ich Linderung 
Bei dir, o Tränenguß; 
Denk' dann, es ist genug,
Dann denk' ich ihren Kuß
Und daß ich wandern muß, --

 ...

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by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853)
2. Distance
Language: English 
O ancient homeland sweet!
Where will I find you again?
What pain this is!
Why do you pursue me?
Why do you mortify me?

O distant glow of love,
will you glimmer again after me?
Should this be my happiness?
I feel this sorrow is too heavy for me;
Who is thinking of me - who?

Soon I shall seek relief 
in you, o gush of tears; 
I shall then think it is enough,
Then I'll think of her kiss -
and that I must keep wandering far away.

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: 15
Word count: 87

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Der Rosenkranz
 (Sung text)
by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Der Rosenkranz", op. posth. 9 no. 3 (1826?), published 1850, stanzas 1-2,4-5 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
An des Beetes Umbuschung
Brach sie Rosen zum Kranz,
Feurig prangte die Mischung
Rings im tauigen Glanz.
Ros' auf Ros' in das Körbchen sank,
Purpurrot und wie Silber blank.

Zwar den Grazien heilig,
Sang sie, blühet ihr dort;
Warum aber so eilig 
Abgeblüht und verdorrt?
Die so eben geöffnet stehn,
Werden bald in dem Winde wehn.

 ... 

Du rotstreifiges Knöpfchen,
Zitternd schaust du dein Grab,
Und ein perlendes Tröpfchen
Hängt als Träne herab.
Bleib! du sollst in dem Sonnenschein
Dich des flüchtigen Lebens freun.

Mit tiefsinniger Säumnis
Flocht das Mädchen den Kranz,
In der Laube Geheimnis
Lieb' und Zärtlichkeit ganz.
Als aufs Haupt sie das Kränzchen nahm,
Wohl mir Seligen, daß ich kam!

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by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826)
3. The rose-wreath
Language: English 
By the bed of rosebushes
she picked roses for a wreath;
fiery, they all sparkled 
around in dewy splendour.
Rose after rose dropped into the basket,
purple-red and bright like silver.

It is true that you are sacred to the Graces,
she sang, you blossoming there;
but why do you wilt 
and wither so quickly?
Those that were standing open just a moment ago,
will soon be blowing in the wind.

 ... 

Tarrying with deep emotion,
the maiden wove the wreath
in the secrecy of the grove,
all love and tenderness.
When she put the wreath on her head,
what bliss it was for me that I arrived at that moment.

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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Line count: 24
Word count: 139

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Die frühen Gräber
 (Sung text)
by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Die frühen Gräber", op. posth. 9 no. 4 (1828), published 1850 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Willkommen, o silberner Mond,
Schöner, stiller Gefährt der Nacht!
Du entfliehst? Eile nicht, bleib, Gedankenfreund!
Sehet, er bleibt, das Gewölk wallte nur hin.

Des Mayes Erwachen ist nur
Schöner noch wie die Sommernacht,
Wenn ihm Thau, hell wie Licht, aus der Locke träuft,
Und zu dem Hügel herauf röthlich er kömt.

Ihr Edleren, ach es bekränzt
Eure Maale schon ernstes Moos!
O, wie glücklich war ich, als ich einst mit euch
Sahe sich röthen den Tag, schimmern die Nacht.

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by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724 - 1803)
4. The early graves
Language: English 
 Welcome, o silver moon,
 fair, quiet companion of the night!
 You flee? Don't hurry away - remain, friend of thought!
 Look, it stays - it was only the clouds that were moving.
 
 Only the awakening May
 is yet fairer than the summer night,
 when dew, bright as light, trickles from his locks
 and red, he comes up over the hill.
 
 You nobler beings, alas! overgrown
 are your monuments, with stern moss!
 O, how happy I was when, still with you,
 I saw day redden and night glimmer!

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: 12
Word count: 86

Translation © by Emily Ezust
5. Der Maiabend
 (Sung text)
by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Der Maiabend", op. posth. 9 no. 5 (1827?), published 1850, stanzas 1-2 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Umweht von Maiduft, unter des Blütenbaums 
Helldunkel sehn wir Abendgewölk verglüh'n,
  Des vollen Mond's Aufgang erwartend,
    Und Filomelengesäng' im Thalbusch.

Lau war die Dämmrung, traulicher scherzten wir
Mit nachgeahmter Fröhlichkeit. Bald verstummt
  In holdem Tiefsinn, saß das Mägdlein,
    flüsterte wollen wir gehn? und ging nicht.

 ...

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by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826)
5. The May evening
Language: English 
Fanned by the scents of May, beneath the light shade of the blossoming tree,
we see the evening clouds dying away
and await the rising of the full moon
and Philomel's song in the valley bush.

Mild was the twilight; we jested familiarly
with mimicking jollity, but soon we fell silent.
Deep in lovely thought sat the maiden,
and we whispered, should we go? but we did not leave.

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: 69

Translation © by Emily Ezust
6. Die Mainacht
 (Sung text)
by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Die Mainacht", op. posth. 9 no. 6, published 1850, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wann der silberne Mond durch die Gesträuche blinkt,
Und sein schlummerndes Licht über den Rasen streut,
  Und die Nachtigall flötet,
    Wandl' ich traurig von Busch zu Busch.

Selig preis' ich dich dann, flötende Nachtigall,
Weil dein Weibchen mit dir wohnet in Einem Nest,
  Ihrem singenden Gatten
    Tausend trauliche Küsse giebt.

Überhüllet von Laub, girret ein Taubenpaar
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
  Suche dunklere Schatten,
    Und die einsame Thräne rinnt.

 ...

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by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
6.
Language: English 
When the silver moon twinkles through the bushes,
And dusts the grass with its sleepy light,
And the nightingale pipes like a flute,
I wander mournfully from bush to bush.

I call you blessed then, fluting nightingale, 
For your beloved lives with you in one nest,
And gives her singing spouse
A thousand loving kisses.

Surrounded with leaves, a pair of doves coos
Their delight to me, but I turn away,
Seeking darker shadows,
And a solitary tear flows.

 ...

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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: 2019-12-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 110

Translation © by Emily Ezust