English translations of Gedichte von Goethe: V, opus 57

by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850)

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1. Das Veilchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Das Veilchen", op. 57 (Gedichte von Goethe: V) no. 1 (1815?) [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein Veilchen auf der Wiese stand,
Gebückt in sich und unbekannt;
Es war ein herzigs Veilchen.
[Da]1 kam [eine]2 junge Schäferin
Mit leichtem [Schritt]3 und muntrem Sinn
Daher, daher,
Die Wiese her, und sang.

Ach! denkt das Veilchen, wär ich nur
Die schönste Blume der Natur,
Ach, nur ein kleines Weilchen,
Bis mich das Liebchen abgepflückt
Und an dem Busen matt gedrückt!
Ach nur, ach nur
Ein Viertelstündchen lang!

Ach! aber ach! das Mädchen kam
Und nicht in Acht das Veilchen nahm,
[Ertrat]4 das arme Veilchen.
Es sank und starb und freut' sich noch:
Und sterb' ich denn, so sterb' ich doch
Durch sie, durch sie,
Zu ihren Füßen doch.

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Note for Stanza 1, line 5: "muntrem" is often modernized to "munterm"

1 omitted by Štěpán.
2 Mozart: " ein' "
3 Medtner: "Tritt"
4 Kunzen: "Zertrat"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
1. A violet stood upon the lea
Language: English 
A violet stood upon the lea,
Hunched o'er in anonymity;
So amiable a violet!
Along there came a young shepherdess
Light paced, full of contentedness
Along, along,
The lea, and sang her song.

Ah!" thinks the violet, "were I just
The fairest flower in the dust
For just a little while yet,
Until that darling seizes me
And to her bosom squeezes me!
For just, for just
A quarter hour long!"

Ah! And alas!  There came the maid
And no heed to the violet paid,
Crushed the poor little violet.
It sank and died, yet filled with pride:
And though I die, I shall have died
Through her, through her,
And at her feet have died."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by Walter Meyer, (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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Line count: 21
Word count: 116

Translation © by Walter Meyer
2. Geistesgruß  [sung text not yet checked]
by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Geistesgruß", op. 57 (Gedichte von Goethe: V) no. 2 (1815?)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hoch auf dem alten Thurme steht
Des Helden edler Geist,
Der, wie das Schiff vorübergeht,
Es wohl zu [fahren]1 heißt.

"Sieh, diese [Senne]2 war so stark,
Dieß Herz so fest und wild,
Die Knochen voll von Rittermark,
Der Becher angefüllt;

"Mein halbes Leben stürmt' ich fort,
Verdehnt' die Hälft' in Ruh,
Und du, du Menschen-Schifflein dort,
Fahr' immer, immer zu!"

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, page 106, and with Goethe's Schriften, Achter Band, Leipzig, bey Georg Joachim Göschen, 1789, page 149.

1 Reichardt: "führen"
2 outdated for "Sehne"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
2. Ghost-Greetings
Language: English 
 High up on the ancient tower stands
 The hero's noble ghost,
 Which, whenever a boat passes by,
 Bids it a fair journey.

 "Behold, this muscle was once strong, 
 This heart so firm and savage,
 These bones full of a Knight's marrow,
 The cup overflowing;

 "Half my life I stormed forth,
 I spent the other half in peace;
 And you, you little man-made boat,
 Journey ever, ever forth!"

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: 12
Word count: 68

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Auf dem See
 (Sung text)
by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Auf dem See", op. 57 (Gedichte von Goethe: V) no. 3 (1815) [ voice and piano ], confirmed with a CD booklet
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Und frische Nahrung, neues Blut
Saug' ich aus freier Welt;
Wie ist Natur so hold und gut,
Die mich am Busen hält!
Die Welle wieget unsern Kahn
Im Rudertakt hinauf,
Und Berge, wolkig himmelan,
Begegnen unserm Lauf.

Aug', mein Aug', was sinkst du nieder?
Goldne Träume, kommt ihr wieder?
Weg, du Traum! so Gold du bist;
Hier auch Lieb' und Leben ist.

Auf der Welle blinken
Tausend schwebende Sterne,
Weiche Nebel trinken
Rings die thürmende Ferne;
Morgenwind umflügelt
Die beschattete Bucht,
Und im See bespiegelt
Sich die reifende Frucht.

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by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
3. On the lake
Language: English 
And fresh sustenance, new blood
I soak up from the wide world;
How sweet and good is nature
Which holds me to her bosom!
The waves rock our little boat
In time with the oars,
And mountains, cloud-capped heavenwards,
Meet our circling course.

Eyes, my eyes, why are you cast down?
Golden dreams, do you come again?
Away, you dream, however golden;
Here too is love and life.

On the waves twinkle
A thousand hovering stars,
Soft mists swallow up
The surrounding towering distances;
Morning wind wings around
The shadowed bay,
And the lake mirrors
The ripening fruit.

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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 98

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder, Rebecca Plack
4. Sorge
 (Sung text)
by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Sorge", op. 57 (Gedichte von Goethe: V) no. 4 (1815?) [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Kehre nicht in diesem Kreise
Neu und immer neu zurück!
Laß, o laß mir meine Weise,
Gönn, o gönne mir mein Glück!
Soll ich fliehen? Soll ich's fassen?
Nun, gezweifelt ist genug.
Willst du mich nicht glücklich lassen,
Sorge, nun so mach mich klug!

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by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
4.
[Translation not yet available]
5. Jägers Abendlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Jägers Abendlied", op. 57 (Gedichte von Goethe: V) no. 5 (1815?)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Im [Felde]1 [schleich']2 ich still und wild,
Gespannt mein Feuerrohr.
Da schwebt so licht dein liebes Bild
Dein süßes Bild mir vor.

Du wandelst jetzt wohl still und mild
[Durch Feld und liebes Thal]3,
Und ach mein schnell verrauschend Bild
Stellt [sich dir's]4 nicht einmal?

Des Menschen, der die Welt durchstreift
Voll Unmuth und Verdruß,
Nach Osten und nach Westen schweift,
Weil er dich lassen muß.

Mir ist es, denk' ich nur an dich,
Als in den Mond zu sehn;
Ein stiller Friede kommt auf mich,
Weiß nicht wie mir geschehn.

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, page 110.

Note: the poem was published first anonymously in Christoph Martin Wieland's Der Teutsche Merkur vom Jahr 1776. Erstes Vierteljahr. Weimar, pages 8-9, with the title Jägers Nachtlied, see below.

1 Franke, Weber: "Walde"; further changes may exist not shown above
2 Andersch: "schweif'" ; Gompertz: "streich'" ; further changes may exist not shown above.
3 Dalberg: "Durchs Feld und liebe Thal"
4 Hensel: "sich's dir"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
5. In the fields/forests I creep, silent and wild
Language: English 
 In the fields I creep, silent and wild,
 my gun cocked.
 There floats so lightly your dear image,
 your sweet image before me.
 
 You wander now so mute and gentle
 through field and dear valley;
 and ah! my swiftly passing image,
 does it not once appear before you?
 
 ...the image of a man who prowls through the world,
 full of indignance and annoyance,
 wandering from east to west
 because he must leave you?
 
 If I only think of you, it seems to me
 that I'm looking at the moon:
 a still peace comes over me,
 and I do not know how it happens.

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:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 104

Translation © by Emily Ezust