English translations of Zwei Gesänge, opus 51

by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949)

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1. Das Tal
 (Sung text)
by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Das Tal", op. 51 (Zwei Gesänge) no. 1 (1902)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie willst du dich mir offenbaren,
Wie ungewohnt, geliebtes Tal?
Nur in den frühsten Jugendjahren
Erschienst du so mir manches Mal.
Die Sonne schon hinabgegangen,
Doch aus den Bächen klarer Schein;
Kein Lüftchen spielt mir um die Wangen,
Doch sanftes Rauschen in dem Hain.

Es duftet wieder alte Liebe,
Es grünet wieder alte Lust;
Ja, selbst die alten Liedertriebe
Beleben diese kalte Brust.
Natur, wohl braucht es solcher Stunden,
So innig, so liebevoll,
Wenn dieses arme Herz gesunden,
Das welkende genesen soll.

Bedrängt mich einst die Welt noch bänger,
So such' ich wieder dich, mein Tal,
Empfange dann den kranken Sänger
Mit solcher Milde noch einmal.
Und sink' ich dann ermattet nieder,
So öffne leise deinen Grund
Und nimm mich auf und schließ' ihn wieder 
Und grüne fröhlich und gesund.

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by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)
1. The Valley
Language: English 
How do you want to present yourself to me,
so unexpectedly, [my] beloved valley?
Only in my early youth
I often saw you like today.
The sun has already descended,
Yet there's a glitter off the stream;
No breath of wind caresses my cheek,
Yet there's a soft rustle in the green.

It smells again of past love,
Past desire sprouts again;
Yes, even  the old creativity
Comes back to revitalise this old body.
[Mother] nature, it takes her hours,
so tender, so lovingly,
to nurse this poor heart back to health,
to brush out Life's creases.

And if one day the world is harassing me even worse,
I'll again turn to you my valley,
For you to embrace the ailing herald
With such inherent kindness once again.
And when I finally weakly sink down,
Do open up quietly for me
And take me in and close above me
And go on blossoming, as cheerful and robust as before.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Linda Godry, (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 "Das Tal" = "The Valley"


This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 24
Word count: 159

Translation © by Linda Godry
2. Der Einsame
 (Sung text)
by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Der Einsame", op. 51 (Zwei Gesänge) no. 2 (1906)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wo ich bin, mich rings umdunkelt
Finsterniß so dumpf und dicht,
Seit mir nicht mehr leuchtend funkelt,
Liebste, deiner Augen Licht.

Wie erloschen ist der süßen
Liebessterne goldne Pracht,
Abgrund gähnt zu meinen Füßen.
Nimm mich auf, uralte Nacht.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2.
Language: English 
Where I am, all around me
there is darkness, gloomy and dense,
because the light of your eyes, dearest, 
no longer sparkles before me.

Extinct for me is the golden splendour
of  those sweet stars of love.
An abyss gapes at my feet.
Receive me, ancient night.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 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:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 8
Word count: 47

Translation © by Emily Ezust