Seitdem dein Aug' in meines schaute,
Und Liebe, wie vom Himmel her,
Aus ihm auf mich herniedertaute,
Was böte mir die Erde mehr?

Ihr Bestes hat sie mir gegeben,
Und von des Herzens stillem Glück
Ward übervoll mein ganzes Leben
Durch jenen einen Augenblick.

From the time your eyes gazed into mine,
And Love, as if from heaven,
Fell from them upon me like dew,
What more could the world offer me?

It has given me its best,
And the silent happiness of my heart
Flooded my entire life
In that one instant.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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.
  licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894)
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This text was added to the website: 2016-12-29
Line count: 8
Word count: 49

Mach auf, mach auf, doch leise mein Kind,
Um keinen vom Schlummer zu wecken.
Kaum murmelt der Bach, kaum zittert im Wind
Ein Blatt an den Büschen und Hecken.
Drum leise, mein Mädchen, daß nichts sich regt,
Nur leise die Hand auf die Klinke gelegt.

Mit Tritten, wie Tritte der Elfen so sacht,
Um über die Blumen zu hüpfen,
Flieg leicht hinaus in die Mondscheinnacht,
Zu mir in den Garten zu schlüpfen.
Rings schlummern die Blüten am rieselnden Bach 
Und duften im Schlaf, nur die Liebe ist wach.

Sitz nieder, hier dämmert's geheimnisvoll
Unter den Lindenbäumen,
Die Nachtigall uns zu Häupten soll
Von unseren Küssen träumen,
Und die Rose, wenn sie am Morgen erwacht,
Hoch glühn von den Wonnenschauern der Nacht.

Open up, open, but softly my dear,
So as to wake no one from sleep.
The brook hardly murmers, the wind hardly shakes
A leaf on bush or hedge.
So, softly, my maiden, so that nothing stirs,
Just lay your hand softly on the doorlatch.

With steps as soft as the footsteps of elves,
Soft enough to hop over the flowers,
Fly lightly out into the moonlit night,
To steal to me in the garden.
The flowers are sleeping along the rippling brook,
Fragrant in sleep, only love is awake.

Sit, here it darkens mysteriously
Beneath the lindens,
The nightingale over our heads
Shall dream of our kisses,
And the rose, when it wakes in the morning,
Shall glow from the wondrous passions of the night.

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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Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), "Ständchen", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Liebesgedichte und Lieder, first published 1866
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 126

Du fragst mich, Mädchen, was flüsternd der West
Vertraue den Blüthenglocken?
Warum von Zweige zu Zweig im Geäst
Die zwitschernden Vögel  ...  locken?
 
Warum an Knospe die Knospe sich schmiegt,
Und Wellen mit Wellen zerfließen,
Und dem Mondstrahl, der auf den Kelchen sich wiegt,
Die Violen der Nacht sich erschließen?
 
O thörichtes Fragen! Wem Wissen frommt,
Nicht kann ihm die Antwort fehlen;
Drum warte, mein Kind, bis die Liebe kommt,
Die wird dir Alles erzählen!

You ask me, maiden, what the west wind whisperingly
Confides to the flower-bells of the blossoms?
Wherefore from branch to branch in the boughs
The chirping birds [woo each other]1?
 
Why bud snuggles up to bud,
And wave dissolves into wave,
And why the violas of the night open themselves
To the moonbeam that disports itself upon their calyces?
 
Oh foolish questioning!  He who benefits from knowledge
Cannot lack an answer [to your questions];
Therefore wait, my child, until Love comes,
Love shall tell you everything.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), "Das Geheimniß"
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Translated titles:
"Das Geheimniß (Geheimnis, Geheimniss)" = "The mystery"
"Geheimnis" = "Mystery"

¹ Strauss: "entice"

This text was added to the website: 2014-05-08
Line count: 12
Word count: 87

Von dunklem Schleier umsponnen
Ist mir das Tageslicht;
Wohl steigen neue Sonnen, --
Ich seh' sie nicht.

Mir schweift der Blick hinüber
In Weiten, dämmerfern;
Vom Himmel blinkt ein trüber,
Einsamer Stern.

Ein Mädchen, bleich von Wangen,
Winkt mir von drüben zu:
"Ich bin vorangegangen,
Was zögerst du?"

Wrapped in a dark veil
Daylight is for me;
New suns may arise, --
I see them not.

My gaze drifts over yonder
Into the distances, as far away as twilight;
From the heavens shines a dreary
Solitary star.

A maiden, pale of cheek,
Beckons me from over there:
"I went on ahead of you,
Why do you hesitate?"

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), no title, appears in Gedichte, in 1. Liebesgedichte und Lieder, in Lieder der Trauer, no. 3, first published 1866
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English song title (Möhring, Schäffer, Winterberger): Why do you hesitate
English song title (Müller): Wrapped in a dark veil
English song title (Strauss): From the songs of mourning

This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 58

Lass' das Zagen, trage mutig
Deine Sorgen, deine Qual,
Sei die Wunde noch so blutig,
Heilen wird sie doch einmal.

Unter tiefer Eisesdecke
Träumt die junge Knospe schon,
Daß der Frühling sie erwecke
Mit der Lieder holdem Ton.

Nur empor den Blick gewendet,
Und durch düst'res Wolkengrau
Bricht zuletzt, daß es dich blendet,
Glorreich noch des Himmels Blau.

Aber auch die trüben Stunden
Und die Tränen, die du weinst,
Glaub', wie Freuden, die entschwunden,
Süßer scheinen sie dir einst.

Und mit Wehmut, halb nur heiter,
Scheidest du für immerdar
Von dem Leiden, dem Begleiter,
Der so lange treu dir war.

Leave off your hesitating, courageously bear
Your anxieties, your torment,
Be the wound ever so bloody,
At some point it shall heal.

Under a deep blanket of ice
The young bud is already dreaming
That spring will awaken it
With the lovely sound of songs.

Only lift your gaze upwards,
And through the gloomy grey of the clouds
The blue heavens shall finally break
So gloriously that you shall be dazzled by it.

But the dreary hours, too,
And the tears that you weep,
Only believe that like joys that have passed away
They shall seem all the sweeter to you someday.

And with melancholy, only half merry,
You shall part forever
From the suffering, that companion
Who for so long was true to you.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), "Nur Mut", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Liebesgedichte und Lieder, first published 1866
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This text was added to the website: 2013-02-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 125

Um der fallenden Ruder Spitzen
Zittert und leuchtet ein schimmernder Glanz,
Flieht bei jedem Schlage mit Blitzen
Hin von Wellen zu Wellen im Tanz.

Mir im Busen von Liebeswonnen
Zittert und leuchtet das Herz wie die Flut,
Jubelt hinauf zu den Sternen und Sonnen,
Bebt zu vergeh'n in der wogenden Glut.

Schon auf dem Felsen durchs Grün der Platane
Seh' ich das säulengetragene Dach,
Und das flimmernde Licht am Altane
Kündet mir, daß die Geliebte noch wach.

Fliege, mein Kahn! und birg uns verschwiegen,
Birg uns, selige Nacht des August!
Süß wohl ist's, auf den Wellen sich wiegen,
Aber süßer an ihrer Brust.

At the ends of the dropping oars
trembles and sparkles a shimmering radiance,
that flees at each stroke with a flash
and dances from wave to wave.

Within my breast, from the bliss of love,
my heart trembles and sparkles like the water,
rejoicing to the stars and sun,
shaking to go away in the surging glow.

Already on the rocks, through the green of the plane trees,
I see the columned roof,
and the shimmering light on the balcony
lets me know that my sweetheart is still awake.

Fly, my boat, and hide us silently;
conceal us, blissful night of August;
Sweet it is to rock on the waves,
but sweeter it is to rock against her breast.

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.
  licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), "Barcarole", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Aus allen Zonen
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 119