English translations of Drei Lieder für tiefe Singstimme, opus 32

by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907)

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1. Der Tod krönt die Unschuld
 (Sung text)
by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Der Tod krönt die Unschuld", op. 32 (Drei Lieder für tiefe Singstimme) no. 1, published 1905 [ low voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Kind, ich schenke dir den Reif der Reine, 
Kind, ich kröne dich mit goldenem Scheine, 
Kind, ich nehme dich in meinen Schooss.
Deine Mutter muss dich mir verlassen 
Meine Fittiche wollen dich umfassen, 
Meine Fittiche sind weich und gross.

Ruhst darin wie unterm Mutterherzen, 
Schlafumfangen, ledig aller Schmerzen,
Deine Seele bleibt vom Leben rein.
Linde bin ich, eine gute Amme,
Tränke dich mit Träumen, kleine Flamme, 
Schlafe, schlaf auf meinem Schoosse ein.

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by Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865 - 1910)
1. Death crowns innocence
Language: English 
Child, I give to you the ring of purity,
Child, I crown you with golden radiance,
Child, I take you upon my lap.
Your mother must give you up to me,
My pinions wish to enfold you,
My pinions are soft and large.

You shall rest in them as under your mother's heart [i.e., in the womb],
Enveloped by sleep, free of all pain,
Your soul shall remain unsullied by life.
I am gentle, a good nursemaid,
I will suckle you with dreams, little flame,
Sleep, go to sleep on my lap.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2012 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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This text was added to the website: 2012-07-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 92

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Der Alte
 (Sung text)
by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Der Alte", op. 32 (Drei Lieder für tiefe Singstimme) no. 2, published 1905 [ low voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Nun steh ich über Grat und Kluft
In abendlichen Rosen
Und höre durch die klare Luft
Das Leben tief vertosen.

Ein Adler rauscht ins Tal hinab,
Wo meine Toten schlafen,
Was ich geliebt dort unten hab,
Weiß ich in sicherm Hafen.

Und bin nun über Leid und Zeit
Und meinen Sternen näher
Und schaue in die Ewigkeit,
Ein stillgemuter Späher.

Durch eine selige Bläue schwimmt
Ein Nachen da herüber,
Naht, neigt den schwanken Bord und nimmt
Sanft schaukelnd mich hinüber.

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by Gustav Falke (1853 - 1916)
2. The old man
Language: English 
Now I stand above ridge and chasm
In the roses of evening
And through the clear air
I hear life bluster itself out far below.

An eagle whooshes down into the valley,
Where my dead sleep,
What I loved down there
I know to be in a secure port.

And I am now above pain and time
And closer to my stars
And gaze into eternity,
A quietly contented scout.

Through a blessed blueness floats
A barque across to me,
It nears, inclines its swaying deck and,
Gently rocking, takes me across.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2012 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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2012-07-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 92

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Abendlied
 (Sung text)
by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Abendlied", op. 32 (Drei Lieder für tiefe Singstimme) no. 3, published 1905 [ low voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Augen, meine lieben Fensterlein,
Gebt mir schon so lange hellen Schein,
Lasset freundlich Bild um Bild herein:
Einmal werdet ihr verdunkelt sein!

Fallen einst die müden Lider zu,
Löscht ihr aus, dann hat die Seele Ruh';
Tastend streift sie ab die Wanderschuh',
Legt sich auch in ihre finstre Truh'.

Nur zwei Fünklein sieht sie glimmend stehn
Wie zwei Sternlein, innerlich zu sehn,
Bis sie schwanken und dann auch vergehn
Wie von eines Falters Flügelwehn.

Doch noch wandl' ich auf dem Abendfeld,
Nur dem sinkenden Gestirn gesellt:
Trinkt, o Augen, was die Wimper hält,
Von dem goldnen Überfluß der Welt!

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by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890)
3. Evening song
Language: English 
 My eyes, my dear little windows,
 for a long time now you have given me lovely light,
 kindly allowing in one image after another:
 yet one day you will grow dark!
 
 When someday your weary lids fall closed,
 you will be extinguished and my soul will have its rest;
 tentatively, it will strip off its wanderer's shoes,
 and lay itself also in its dark coffin.
 
 But it will still see two small sparks gleaming there
 like two little stars, seen only inwardly,
 until they weaken and then also die out
 as if blown by the wings of a butterfly.
 
 But I still wander in the evening fields,
 accompanied only by fading stars:
 drink, o eyes, as much as your lashes can hold,
 of the golden opulence of the world!

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.


Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 130

Translation © by Emily Ezust