English translations of 4 Lieder, opus 30

by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949)

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1. Sehnsucht nach Vergessen
 (Sung text)
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Sehnsucht nach Vergessen", op. 30 (4 Lieder) no. 1 (1922)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Lethe! Brich die Fesseln des Ufers, gieße 
Aus der Schattenwelt mir herüber deine 
Welle, daß den Wunden der bangen Seel' ich
  Trinke Genesung.

Frühling kommt mit Duft und Gesang und Liebe,
Will wie sonst mir sinken ans Herz; doch schlägt ihm 
Nicht das Herz entgegen wie sonst. -- O Lethe! 
  Sende die Welle!

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by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
1. Longing to forget
Language: English 
Lethe! Burst the fetters of your banks, pour 
your wave across to me from the world of shadows,
That I may drink a cure for the wounds 
  Of a frightened soul.

Spring brings fragrance and song and love,
Wanting as usual to fall on my breast;
But my heart does not beat its usual response. -- O Lethe!
  Send the wave!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Peter Palmer, (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: 2011-05-14
Line count: 8
Word count: 60

Translation © by Peter Palmer
2. Das verlassene Mägdlein  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Das verlassene Mägdlein", op. 30 (4 Lieder) no. 2
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Früh, [wann]1 die Hähne kräh'n,
[Eh']2 die Sternlein [verschwinden]3,
Muß ich am [Herde stehn]4,
Muß Feuer zünden.

Schön ist der [Flammen]5 Schein,
[Es]6 springen die Funken.
Ich schaue so [drein]7,
In Leid versunken.

Plötzlich, da kommt es mir,
Treuloser Knabe,
Daß ich die Nacht von dir
Geträumet habe.

Träne auf Träne dann
Stürzet hernieder;
So kommt der Tag heran -
O ging' er wieder!

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Confirmed with Eduard Mörike, Gedichte, Dramatisches, Erzählendes, Zweite, erweiterte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachf., 1961, pages 61-62.

1 Bock, Feyhl, Zenger: "wenn"; Senger: "eh' " (further changes may exist not noted above).
2 Zenger: "Wenn"
3 Schumann, Pfitzner (SJ5), Wolf: "schwinden"
4 van Eijken, Schumann: "Heerde steh'n"
5 Schumann, Wetzel: "Flamme"
6 Reinecke: "Hell"
7 Molitor, Reinecke, Schumann, Pfitzner (SJ5), Wolf, Zenger: "darein"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
2.
Language: English 
Early, when the cock crows,
Before the stars disappear,
I must stand at the hearth;
I must light the fire.

Beautiful is the blaze of the flames;
[The sparks fly]1.
I gaze into the fire,
Sunk in grief.

Suddenly, it comes to me,
Unfaithful boy,
That last night
I dreamed of you.

Tears upon tears then 
Pour down;
So the day comes -
O would it were gone again!

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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Translated titles:
"Das verlassene Mägdlein" = "The abandoned maiden"
"Die Verlassene" = "The abandoned one"
1 Reinecke: "Bright fly the sparks"


This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 70

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Denk' es, o Seele!
 (Sung text)
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Denk' es, o Seele!", op. 30 (4 Lieder) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein Tännlein grünet, wo,
Wer weiß, im Walde,
Ein Rosenstrauch, wer sagt,
In welchem Garten?
Sie sind erlesen schon,
Denk' es, o Seele!
Auf deinem Grab zu wurzeln
Und zu wachsen.

Zwei schwarze Rößlein weiden
Auf der Wiese,
Sie kehren heim zur Stadt
In muntren Sprüngen.
Sie werden schrittweis gehn
Mit deiner Leiche;
Vielleicht, vielleicht noch eh'
An ihren Hufen
Das Eisen los wird,
Das ich blitzen sehe!

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by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
3. A little fir-tree flourishes
Language: English 
A little fir-tree flourishes,
who knows where, in the wood;
A rosebush, who can tell
in what garden?
They are selected already,
Consider, o soul,
to take root and grow
on your grave.

Two young black horses graze
on the pasture,
they return back to town
with lively leaps.
They will go step by step
with your corpse;
perhaps, perhaps even before
on their hooves
the shoe gets loose,
and I can see it sparkle.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Jakob Kellner, (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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 75

Translation © by Jakob Kellner
4. Der Arbeitsmann  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Der Arbeitsmann", op. 30 (4 Lieder) no. 4 (1922)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wir haben ein Bett, wir haben ein Kind,
   mein Weib!
Wir haben auch Arbeit, und gar zu zweit,
und haben die Sonne und Regen und Wind,
und uns fehlt nur eine Kleinigkeit,
um so frei zu sein, wie die Vögel sind:
   nur Zeit.

Wenn wir Sonntags durch die Felder gehn,
   mein Kind,
und über den Ähren weit und breit
das blaue Schwalbenvolk blitzen sehn,
o dann fehlt uns nicht das bißchen Kleid,
um so schön zu sein, wie die Vögel sind:
   nur Zeit.

Nur Zeit! wir wittern Gewitterwind,
   wir Volk.
Nur eine kleine Ewigkeit;
uns fehlt ja nichts, mein Weib, mein Kind,
als all das, was durch uns gedeiht,
um so [froh]1 zu sein, wie die Vögel sind:
  nur Zeit.

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1 Pfitzner or Schoeck: "kühn"

by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920)
4. The workman
Language: English 
We have a bed, we have a child,
My wife!
We have also work - work for two,
and have the sun and rain and wind;
and we lack just one small thing
to be as free as the birds are:
only time.

When on Sundays we go through the fields,
My child,
And above the corn, far and wide,
the blue swallows can be seen flitting,
Oh, then, we lack no bits of clothing
to be as fine as the birds are:
only time.

Only time! We sense a stormwind,
we people.
Just one small eternity;
We lack nothing, my wife, my child,
but all that thrives in us,
to be as bold as the birds are:
only time.

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: 21
Word count: 119

Translation © by Emily Ezust