English translations of Six Songs of Heine, opus 4

by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924)

1. Sterne mit den gold'nen Füßchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Sterne mit den gold'nen Füßchen", op. 4 (Six Songs of Heine) no. 1 (1874), published 1876, rev. 1893 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
   Sterne mit den goldnen Füßchen,
Wandeln droben bang und sacht,
Daß sie nicht die Erde wecken
Die da schläft im Schoß der Nacht.
 
   Horchend stehn die stummen Wälder,
Jedes Blatt ein grünes Ohr!
Und der Berg, wie träumend streckt er
Seinen Schattenarm hervor.
 
   Doch was rief [dort]1? In mein Herze
Dringt der Töne Widerhall.
War es der Geliebten Stimme,
Oder [nur]2 die Nachtigall?

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun., [no year], page 251.

1 Franz, Wolf: "es"
2 Franz, Wolf: "war's"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. Stars with little golden feet
Language: English 
   Stars with little golden feet
Are wandering above, anxiously and gently,
So that they do not waken the earth
That sleeps in the lap of night.
 
   Listening the mute forests stand,
Every leaf a green ear!
And the mountain, as in a dream,
Stretches forth its shadowy arm.
 
   But what called [yonder]1? Into my heart
Penetrates the echo of the sounds.
Was it the voice of my beloved,
Or [simply]2 the nightingale?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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.
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Translated titles:
"Sterne mit den gold'nen Füßchen" = "Stars with little golden feet"
"Sterne" = "Stars"
"Nachtlied" = "Night song"
"Sommernacht" = "Summer night"
"Nachtstück" = "Night piece"
"Mainacht" = "May night"

1 omitted by Franz, Wolf
2 Franz, Wolf: "was it"


This text was added to the website: 2016-06-27
Line count: 12
Word count: 75

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Mit deinen blauen Augen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Mit deinen blauen Augen", op. 4 (Six Songs of Heine) no. 2 (1874), published 1876 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Mit deinen blauen Augen
Siehst du mich [lieblich]1 an,
Da ward mir so träumend zu Sinne,
Daß ich nicht sprechen kann.
 
  An deinen blauen Augen
Gedenk' ich allerwärts: --
Ein Meer von blauen Gedanken
Ergießt sich über mein Herz.

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Confirmed with: Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun, [1887], page 245.

1 Würz: "freundlich"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. With your blue eyes
Language: English 
With your blue eyes
You look at me lovingly,
Then my senses grow so dreamy
That I cannot speak.

Of your blue eyes
I am reminded everywhere:
A sea of blue thoughts
Pours forth over my heart.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Lawrence Snyder and Rebecca Plack, (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: 37

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder, Rebecca Plack
3. Daß du mich liebst  [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Daß du mich liebst", op. 4 (Six Songs of Heine) no. 3 (1874), published 1876 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Daß du mich liebst, daß wußt' ich,
Ich hatt' es längst entdeckt;
Doch als du mir's gestanden,
Hat es mich tief erschreckt.

Ich stieg wohl auf die Berge
Und jubelte und sang;
Ich ging ans Meer und weinte
Beim Sonnenuntergang.

Mein Herz ist wie die Sonne
So flammend anzusehn,
Und in ein Meer von Liebe
Versinkt es groß und schön.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3.
[Translation not yet available]
4. Frühling
 (Sung text)
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Frühling", op. 4 (Six Songs of Heine) no. 4 (1874), published 1876 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Wellen blinken und fließen dahin,
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
Am Flusse sitzet die Schäferin 
Und windet die zärtlichsten Kränze.

Das knospet und quillt, mit duftender Lust
es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
Die Schäferin seufzt aus tiefer Brust:
»Wem geb' ich meine Kränze?«

Ein Reiter reitet den Fluß entlang,
er grüßet so blühenden Mutes,
die Schäferin schaut ihm nach so bang,
fern flattert die Feder des Hutes.

Sie weint und wirft in den gleitenden Fluß
die schönen Blumenkränze.
Die Nachtigall singt von Lieb' und Kuß,
es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!

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Note: in later editions, Heine changed "quillt und duftet und blüht" to "quillt, mit duftender Lust" in stanza 2, line 1. In addition, "vollem Gemüt" was changed to "tiefer Brust" in stanza 2, line 3.

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4.
Language: English 
The waves flash and flow in;
Love is so lovely in Spring!
By the river the shepherdess sits
And weaves delicate crowns of wreaths.

The budding, the [streaming, the wafting, and blossoming]1 -
Love is so lovely in spring!
The shepherdess sighs [with a full heart]2:
"To whom shall I give my wreaths?"

A horseman rides along the river:
he greets her with radiant cheer,
the shepherdess gazes at him shyly,
and far in the distance the feather flutters in his cap.

She weeps and throws into the gliding river
those lovely wreaths of flowers.
The nightingale sings of love and kisses;
Love is so lovely in the spring!

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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1 Stanford: "the streaming, with joyous, wafting fragrances"
2 Brahms, Stanford: "from deep in her bosom"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 110

Translation © by Emily Ezust
5. Ernst ist der Frühling  [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Ernst ist der Frühling", op. 4 (Six Songs of Heine) no. 5 (1874), published 1876 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ernst ist der Frühling, seine Träume
sind traurig, jede Blume schaut
von Schmerz bewegt, es bebt geheime
Wehmut im Nachtigallenlaut.

O, lächle nicht, geliebte Schöne,
so freundlich heiter, lächle nicht!
O, weine lieber! Eine Träne
küss' ich so gern dir vom Gesicht.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
5. Beloved beauty
Language: English 
The spring is solemn
Its dreams are bleak.
Every flowers seemed shaken up with pain.
A secret melancholy exhales from the voice of the nightingale 

O, do not laugh, beloved beauty,
With such joyful spirit, do not laugh!
O cry instead! I would gladly
Kiss a tear running down your face.

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This text was added to the website: 2011-04-01
Line count: 8
Word count: 51

Translation © by Jean-Pierre Granger
6. Der Schmetterling ist in die Rose verliebt
 (Sung text)
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Der Schmetterling ist in die Rose verliebt", op. 4 (Six Songs of Heine) no. 6 (1874), published 1876 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Schmetterling ist in die Rose verliebt,
Umflattert sie tausendmal,
Ihn selber aber goldig und zart
Umflattert der liebende Sonnenstrahl.

Jedoch, in wen ist die Rose verliebt?
Das wüßt' ich gar so gern.
Ist es die singende Nachtigall?
Ist es der schweigende Abendstern?

Ich weiß nicht, in wen die Rose verliebt;
Ich aber lieb' euch all:
Rose, Schmetterling, Sonnenstrahl,
Abendstern und Nachtigall.

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Confirmed with: Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun, [1887], page 241.

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
6.
Language: English 
The butterfly is in love with the rose,
Flutters about [the rose] a thousand times,
About the butterfly [with golden tenderness]1
Flutters the [loving sunbeam]2.

However, with whom is the rose in love?
That I would very much like to know.
Is it with the singing nightingale?
[Is it]3 with the silent evening star?

I do not know with whom the rose is in love;
But I, I love you all:
[Rose]4, butterfly, sunbeam,
Evening star and nightingale.

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:
"Alles liebet" = "Everything loves"
"Aus Heine's Neue Gedichte" = "From Heine’s new poems"
"Der Schmetterling" = "The butterfly"
"Der Schmetterling ist in die Rose verliebt = "The butterfly is in love with the rose"
"Frühlingslied" = "Spring song"
"Rosenlied" = "Rose song"
"Wenn ich liebe" = "When I love"

1 Stanford: "golden and tenderly"
2 Lang: "sunbeam"
3 Lang: "or"
4 Lang: "Oh rose"


This text was added to the website: 2006-12-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

Translation © by Sharon Krebs