English translations of Sechs deutsche Lieder, opus 72

by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859)

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1. Frühlingsglaube
 (Sung text)
by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Frühlingsglaube", op. 72 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 1 (1826)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die linden Lüfte sind erwacht,
Sie säuseln und weben Tag und Nacht,
Sie schaffen an allen Enden.
O frischer Duft, o neuer Klang!
Nun armes Herze, sey nicht bang!
Nun muß sich Alles, Alles wenden.

Die Welt wird schöner mit jedem Tag,
Man weiß nicht, was noch werden mag,
Das Blühen will nicht enden.
Es blüht das fernste, tiefste Thal.
Nun armes Herz, vergiß der Qual!
Nun muß sich Alles, Alles wenden.

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Note: some editions have a typo in stanza 1, line 2: word 4 is "wehen". Lachner's score also has this typo.

by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)
1.
Language: English 
Balmy breezes are awakened,
They whisper and move day and night,
And everywhere creative.
O fresh scent, o new sound!
Now, poor heart, don't be afraid.
Now all, all must change.

With each day the world grows fairer,
One cannot know what is still to come,
The flowering refuses to cease.
Even the deepest, most distant valley is in flower.
Now, poor heart, forget your torment.
Now all, all must change.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by David Gordon, (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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Translation of title "Frühlingsglaube" = "Spring faith"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 71

Translation © by David Gordon
2. Schifferlied der Wasserfee
 (Sung text)
by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Schifferlied der Wasserfee", op. 72 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 2 (1826)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Auf Wogen gezogen,
von Klängen,
Gesängen,
durch Strahlen gelenkt:
die Wellen,
die hellen
Gewölke, von Morgenröte getränkt;
die Töne,
die Schwäne,
die saüselnden Lüfte,
die blumigen Düfte,
sich alles zum Grusse entgegen mir drängt.
Ohn' Sorgen
nur weiter,
Wie heiter
der Morgen!
Fliess Bächlein,
fahr Schifflein
Ohn Sorgen nur weiter,
begegnet doch alles wie Schicksal verhängt.

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by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853)
2. Boating song of the water nymph
Language: English 
Drawn on the waves,
by sounds,
[by] songs,
Steered by beams of light:
the waves, 
the bright
clouds, steeped in the dawn;
the tones,
the swans,
the rustling breezes,
the flowery scents,
all of this presses toward me in greeting.
Continue
without worry!
How bright
the morning!
Flow onward, brook,
drive onward, little boat,
onward without worry --
everything happens as fate decrees.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Harald 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: 2008-01-24
Line count: 20
Word count: 62

Translation © by Harald Krebs
3. Ghasel
 (Sung text)
by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Ghasel", op. 72 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 3 (1826)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wer hätte sie gesehn und nicht
auch sie geliebt?
Ich sah sie und ich hab',
ich weiss nicht wie, geliebt.
Ich hab' ihr oft gehorcht,
und selbst ihr härtstes Wort
hab' ich wie Nachtigallenmelodie geliebt.
Nur Eine hat mein Herz für diese Welt geraubt
und nichts begehrt' ich mehr,
wenn mich nur die geliebt.
Ja in der andern Welt wird Adil
sprechen noch:
hätt' ich nicht Dich geliebt,
Ich hätte nie geliebt.

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by Henriette Wilhelmine Auguste von Schorn (1807 - 1869), as Adil
3. Ghasel
Language: English 
Who could have seen her and not
Also loved her?
I saw her and I
Have loved her, oh so much.
I often obeyed her,
And even her harshest word
I loved as the melody of a nightingale.
Only one has stolen my heart away from this world
And nothing more do I desire,
If only she loved me.
Yes, even in the other world, Adil
Shall still say:
Had I never loved you,
I would never have loved.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Harald 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: 2008-01-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 79

Translation © by Harald Krebs
4. Beruhigung
 (Sung text)
by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Beruhigung", op. 72 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 4 (1826)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du armes Herz, was wünschest du?
Was soll dein leises Beben?
Umsonst ist all dein Streben
Und nimmer wird dir Ruh.

Dir ist so eng, dir ist so weit;
Jetzt sorgenvolles Bangen,
Dann wonniges Verlangen
Und ewig, ewig währt der Streit.

Was dich erfreut, was dich bethört,
Ich weiß es nicht zu fassen,
Ist's Lieben, ist es Hassen,
Was so den Frieden stört?

Sey ruhig, Herz, o stürme nicht,
Du mußt die Schmerzen tragen,
Darfst ob der Not nicht klagen!
Bald dämmert Morgenlicht!

Dann flieht der Schmerz,
Dann flieht die Not,
Dein Bangen, und dein Sehnen,
Dein Hoffen, deine Tränen
Stillt leis und sanft der Tod.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "Beruhigung"

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
4. Becalming
Language: English 
You poor heart, what do you desire?
Why do you tremble so softly?
All striving is pointless,
And never shall you find rest.

You feel so constricted, you feel so free.
Now [you feel] worrisome fear,
Then ecstatic yearning, and forever,
Forever continues the strife.

What delights, what deludes you,
I know not how to grasp it.
Is it love, is it hate
That so disturbs your peace?

Be still, heart, do not give way to storms.
You must bear the pain,
Must not complain of your misery!
Soon the morning light shall dawn!

Then pain shall flee,
Then misery shall flee.
Your anxiety and your yearning,
Your hopes, your tears
Shall be stilled quietly and gently by death.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Harald 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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This text was added to the website: 2008-01-24
Line count: 21
Word count: 119

Translation © by Harald Krebs
5. An Rosa Maria
 (Sung text)
by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "An Rosa Maria", op. 72 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 5 (1826)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du gabst mir längst dein schönes Herz;
was geb' ich Dir dafür?
Das meine? Das zerriss der Schmerz,
auch strebt es rastlos himmelwärts!
was sollt', was sollt' es Dir?
Die Blüten, die mein Geist gepflegt?
Wie lang sind die geknickt
vom Nord, der scharf die Blätter regt
und an die farb'gen Kronen schlägt
und sie zur Erde bückt.
Mein Sehnen? ach! nicht geb' ich's Dir;
das strebt nach stiller Nacht
und nach dem Grabe für
und zu der offnen Himmelstür,
wo Schmerz nie mehr erwacht,
Doch da blüht still im Morgentau
ein Blümchen, strahlt wie Licht,
das pflück' ich Dir von blum'ger Au',
und leise spricht sein sanftes Blau:
vergiss mein nicht!

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by Amalia Schoppe (1791 - 1858)
5. To Rosa Maria
Language: English 
You gave me your glorious heart long ago.
What shall I give you in return?
My heart?  Pain has torn it,
And it restlessly strives heavenward!
What good would it do you?
The blossoms that my spirit nurtured?
How long ago they were broken
by the north wind, which moves the leaves sharply
and beats against the colourful crowns [of the trees]
and bends them to earth.
My yearning?  Oh, I do not give it to you;
It strives for the quiet night
and for the grave
and for the open gates of Heaven,
Where pain nevermore awakes.
But quietly in the morning dew,
there blooms a flower that radiates with light;
that I pick for you from the flowery meadow,
and its gentle blue softly speaks,
"Forget me not."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Harald 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: 2008-01-24
Line count: 20
Word count: 130

Translation © by Harald Krebs
6. Schlaflied
 (Sung text)
by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Schlaflied", op. 72 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ruhe, Süßliebchen, im Schatten
Der grauen, dämmernden Nacht:
Es säuselt das Gras auf den Matten,
Es fächelt und kühlt dich der Schatten
Und treue Liebe wacht.
Schlafe, schlaf ein,
Leiser rauscht der Hain,
Ewig bin ich dein.

Schweigt, ihr versteckten Gesänge,
Und stört nicht die süßeste Ruh'!
Es lauschet der Vögel Gedränge,
Es ruhen die lauten Gesänge,
Schließ, Liebchen, dein Auge zu.
Schlafe, schlaf ein,
Im dämmernden Schein,
Ich will dein Wächter sein.

Murmelt fort, ihr Melodien,
Rausche nur, du stiller Bach.
Schöne Liebesphantasien
Sprechen in den Melodien,
Zarte Träume schwimmen nach.
Durch den flüsternden Hain
Schwärmen goldne Bienelein
Und summen zum Schlummer dich ein.

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by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853)
6. Rest, my love, in the shade
Language: English 
Rest, my love, in the shade
Of green, darkening night;
The grass rustles on the meadow,
The shadows fan and cool thee
And true love is awake.
Sleep, go to sleep!
Gently rustles the grove,
Eternally am I thine.

Hush, you hidden songs,
And disturb not her sweetest repose!
The flock of birds listens,
Stilled are their noisy songs.
Close thine eyes, my darling,
Sleep, go to sleep;
In the twilight
I will watch over thee.

Murmur on, you melodies,
Rush on, you quiet stream.
Lovely fantasies of love
do these melodies evoke:
Tender dreams swim after them.
Through the whispering grove
Swarm tiny golden bees
which hum thee to sleep.

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: 24
Word count: 111

Translation © by Emily Ezust