English translations of Fünf Lieder, opus 2

by Dávid Popper (1843 - 1913)

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1. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai  [sung text not yet checked]
by Dávid Popper (1843 - 1913), "Im wunderschönen Monat Mai", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder) no. 1
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,
Als alle Knospen sprangen, 1 
Da [ist]2 in meinem Herzen
Die Liebe aufgegangen.

Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,
Als alle Vögel sangen, 3
Da hab' ich ihr gestanden
Mein Sehnen und Verlangen.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 112.

1 Lachner adds: "Geweckt von süssen Schmerzen, / Von Sehnsucht sanft umfangen,"
2 Ender: "ist auch"
3 Lachner adds: "Die Blüten sich umwanden, / Die Zweige sich umschlangen,"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
Language: English 
In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
When all the buds are bursting open,
There, from my own heart,
Bursts forth my own love.

In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
When all the birds are singing,
So have I confessed to her
My yearning and my longing.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Paul Hindemith
2. Und wüßten's die Blumen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Dávid Popper (1843 - 1913), "Und wüßten's die Blumen", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder) no. 2
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Und wüßten's die Blumen, die kleinen,
Wie tief verwundet mein Herz,
Sie würden mit mir weinen,
Zu heilen meinen Schmerz.

Und wüßten's die Nachtigallen,
Wie ich so traurig und krank,
Sie ließen fröhlich erschallen
Erquickenden Gesang.

Und wüßten sie mein Wehe,
Die [goldnen]1 Sternelein,
Sie kämen aus ihrer Höhe,
Und sprächen Trost mir ein.

[Die]2 alle können's nicht wissen,
Nur [eine]3 kennt meinen Schmerz;
[Sie]4 hat ja selbst zerrissen,
Zerrissen mir das Herz.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 128.

Note: Christian Jost's setting begins "Zerrissen mir das Herz" (the last line) and then follows the rest of the text.

1 Jost, Schumann: "goldenen"
2 André, Jost, Schumann: "Sie"
3 Hensel: "einer"
4 Hensel: "Er"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. And if the blooms - the small ones - knew
Language: English 
And if the blooms - the small ones - knew
How deeply wounded is my heart,
They would weep with me
To heal my pain.

And if the nightingales knew
How sad and ill I am,
They would let forth merrily
A refreshing song.

And if they knew my woe -
The little golden stars -
They would come down from their heights
And speak their consolation to me.

But all of them could not know this,
Only one knows my pain;
She herself has indeed torn,
Torn my heart in two.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 88

Translation © by Paul Hindemith
3. In einem kühlen Grunde  [sung text not yet checked]
by Dávid Popper (1843 - 1913), "In einem kühlen Grunde", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder) no. 3 [ voice and piano ], Berlin: Schlesinger'sche Buch- und Musikhandlung
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[In einem kühlen Grunde]1
da geht ein Mühlenrad,
mein Liebchen ist verschwunden,
[die]2 dort gewohnet hat.

Sie hat mir Treue versprochen,
gab mir einen Ring dabei,
sie hat die Treue gebrochen,
das Ringlein sprang entzwei.

Ich möcht' als Spielmann reisen
[weit]3 in die Welt hinaus,
und singen meine Weisen
und [gehn]4 von Haus zu Haus.

Ich möcht' als Reiter fliegen
wohl in die blut'ge Schlacht,
[um stille]5 Feuer liegen
[Im Feld bei dunkler]6 Nacht.

[Hör' ich]7 das Mühlrad gehen,
[Ich]8 weiß nicht, was ich will,
Ich möcht' am liebsten sterben,
Dann wär's auf einmal still.

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Note: Kreutzer's version is sometimes erroneously credited to Uhland. The original poem is also sometimes titled "Untreue" and substitutes "Liebste" for "Liebchen" in line 1-3.

1 Kreutzer: "In jenem Tale dort unten" ; and sometimes "In jenem Thal dort unten"
2 Kreutzer: "das"
3 Kreutzer: "wohl"
4 Kreutzer: "zieh'n"
5 Kreutzer: "an stillem"
6 Kreutzer: "einsam bei kühler"
7 Kreutzer: "Ich hör"
8 Kreutzer: "und"

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857) and sometimes misattributed to Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)
3.
Language: English 
In a cool valley
there turns a mill-wheel;
Gone is my darling
who had lived there.

She promised to be constant
and gave me a ring to prove it;
she has broken her faith
and my ring cracked in two.

I would like to journey as a minstrel
into the wide world out there,
and sing my melodies
going house to house.

I would like to dash as a horseman
into bloody battle,
to lie around a quiet fire
in the field at darkest night.

When I hear the mill-wheel turning,
I do not know what I want -
I want most of all to die,
for then the wheel would at a single blow be silent.

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: 20
Word count: 116

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Wie Schmetterlinge  [sung text not yet checked]
by Dávid Popper (1843 - 1913), "Wie Schmetterlinge", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder) no. 4 [ voice and piano ], Berlin: Schlesinger'sche Buch- und Musikhandlung
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie schmetterlinge flink und leicht                     
Um junge frische Rosen,
So spielen um den kleinen Mund 
Die Worte Dir, die losen. 

Das bunte Völkchen flattert mir 
Frohlockend nach dem Herzen, 
Und aus dem Rosenkelch erblüht 
Ein Kelch mir süßer Schmerzen:  

O könnt' ich doch in stiller Stund' 
An diesen Röslein hangen, 
Und lachend mir das lose Heer 
Der Schmetterlinge fangen: 

Ich wollte selbst ein Schmetterling 
Ins tiefe Herz Dir tauchen, 
Und in dem Meer der Seligkeit 
Die Seele dann verhauchen!

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Confirmed with Adolf Böttger, Gedichte, dritte vermehrte Auflage, Leipzig: Otto Klemm, 1847, page 34. Appears in Frühlingsmelodieen.


by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870)
4.
[Translation not yet available]
5. Ich will meine Seele tauchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Dávid Popper (1843 - 1913), "Ich will meine Seele tauchen", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder) no. 5
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich will meine Seele tauchen
In den Kelch der Lilie hinein;
Die Lilie soll [klingend]1 hauchen
Ein Lied von der Liebsten mein.

Das Lied soll [schauern]2 und beben
Wie der Kuß von ihrem Mund,
Den sie mir einst gegeben
In wunderbar süßer Stund'.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 115.

1 Raif: "klingen und"
2 Raif: "schau'rn"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
5. I want to delve my soul
Language: English 
I want to delve my soul
Into the cup of the lily;
The lily should give resoundingly
A song belonging to my beloved.

The song should shudder and tremble
Like the kiss from her lips
That she once gave me
In a wonderfully sweet hour.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 45

Translation © by Paul Hindemith