English translations of 4 Lieder, opus 2

by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909)

1. Der Einsiedler  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Der Einsiedler", op. 2 (4 Lieder) no. 1, published 1864 [ alto or low baritone and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Komm]1, Trost der Welt, du stille Nacht!
Wie steigst du von den Bergen sacht,
Die Lüfte alle schlafen,
Ein Schiffer nur noch, wandermüd',
Singt übers Meer sein Abendlied
Zu Gottes Lob im Hafen.

Die Jahre wie die Wolken gehn
[Und]2 lassen mich hier einsam stehn,
Die Welt hat mich vergessen,
Da tratst du wunderbar zu mir,
Wenn ich beim Waldesrauschen hier
Gedankenvoll gesessen.

O Trost der Welt, du stille Nacht!
Der Tag hat mich so [müd']3 gemacht,
Das weite Meer schon dunkelt,
Laß ausruhn mich von Lust und Not,
Bis daß das ew'ge Morgenrot
Den stillen Wald durchfunkelt.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 von Wilm: "Komme"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Glanert: "Sie"
3 Reinthaler: "trüb"

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
1. Come, comfort of the world, you still night
Language: English 
 Come, comfort of the world, you still night!
 How softly you climb from the hills!
 The breezes are all sleeping,
 only one sailor still, weary with travel,
 sings across the sea an evening song
 to praise God from the harbor.
 
 The years go by like clouds
 and leave me standing here alone;
 the world has forgotten me.
 Then amazingly, you came to me
 when I was here by the rustling wood,
 sitting lost in thought.
 
 O comfort of the world, you still night!
 The day has made me so weary;
 the wide sea is darkening already.
 Let me rest from joy and suffering
 until the eternal dawn
 illuminates the still wood throughout.

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: 18
Word count: 113

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Schlaf wohl, mein Kind  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Schlaf wohl, mein Kind", op. 2 (4 Lieder) no. 2, published 1864 [ alto or low baritone and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Dort [ist so]1 tiefer Schatten,
Du schläfst in guter Ruh',
Es deckt mit grünen Matten
Der liebe Gott dich zu.

Die alten Weiden neigen
Sich auf dein Bett herein,
Die Vöglein in den Zweigen
Sie singen treu dich ein.

Und wie in goldnen Träumen
Geht linder Frühlingswind
Rings in den stillen Bäumen --
Schlaf wohl mein [süßes]2 Kind!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Joseph Freiherrn von Eichendorff's sämtliche poetische Werke, dritte Auflage, Erster Band, Gedichte, C. F. Amelang's Verlag, Leipzig, 1883.

1 Kampmann: "unten ist"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Greith: "liebes"

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
2.
Language: English 
Yonder are such deep shadows,
You lie sleeping well in peace,
The dear God covers you up
with green meadows.

The old willows bow
Down upon your bed,
The little birds in their branches
Sing you to sleep faithfully.

And as if in golden dreaming
A mild spring wind passes
Through the quiet trees round about --
Sleep well, my sweet child!

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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

English poem title: 9. of "On the Death of My Child"
English song title (Fielitz, Greith): Yonder are such deep shadows
English song title (Kaufmann): Sleep well, my child
English song title (Reinecke): On the Child's Death
English song title (Schottky, Seyffardt): On the Death of My Child


This text was added to the website: 2013-08-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 61

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Vorsatz  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Vorsatz", op. 2 (4 Lieder) no. 3, published 1864 [ alto or low baritone and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich [will's dir]1 nimmer sagen,
Wie ich so lieb dich hab',
Im Herzen will ich's tragen,
Will [stumm]2 sein wie das Grab.

Kein Lied [soll dir's]3 gestehen,
Soll flehen um mein Glück,
Du selber sollst es sehen,
Du selbst -- in meinem Blick.

Und [kannst]4 du es nicht lesen,
Was dort so zärtlich spricht,
So ist's ein Traum gewesen;
Dem Träumer zürne nicht.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Robert Prutz, Buch der Liebe, Fünfte Auflage, Leipzig: Verlag von Ernst Keil, 1883, page 45. Note: C. Schnabel's score has a typo in stanza 2, line 2, word 4 ("dein" instead of "mein").

1 Becker, Dorn, Hallet, Hoth, Hoppe, Jonas, Lang, Lassen, Lederer, Naret-Koning, Nodnagel, Nordmann, Rehberg, Roeder, Schaefer, C. Schultz, Simon: "will dir's"; Bradsky, Kauffmann: "will Dir"; further changes may exist for composers with unverified texts.
2 Lang: "still"
3 Schnabel: "soll's dir"
4 Henkel: "willst"

by Robert Eduard Prutz (1816 - 1872)
3. Resolution
Language: English 
I shall never tell you
How much I love you.
I shall carry it in my heart,
And shall be as [mute]1 as the grave.
 
No song [poem] shall confess it to you,
Shall plead for my happiness;
You yourself must see it,
You yourself [must see it] in my gaze.
 
And if you cannot read
What speaks so tenderly there,
Then it was but a dream.
Do not be angry with the dreamer!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Sharon Krebs and Harald 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

View original text (without footnotes)

Translated titles:
"Entsagung" = "Renunciation"
"Ich will's dir nimmer sagen" and "Ich will dir's nimmer sagen" = "I shall never tell you"
"Mein Geheimniss" = "My secret"
"Stille Liebe" = "Silent love"
"Verschwiegene Liebe" = "Concealed love"
"Volkslied" = "Folksong"
"Vorsatz" = "Resolution"

1 Lang: "silent"


This text was added to the website: 2006-12-23
Line count: 12
Word count: 75

Translation © by Sharon Krebs, Harald Krebs
4. Lied eines Todtengräbers  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Lied eines Todtengräbers", op. 2 (4 Lieder) no. 4, published 1864 [ alto or low baritone and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Grabe, Spaden, grabe!
Alles, was ich habe,
Dank' ich, Spaden, dir!
Reich' und arme Leute
Werden meine Beute,
Kommen einst zu mir!

Weiland groß und edel,
Nickte dieser Schädel
Keinem Grusse Dank!
Dieses Beingerippe
Ohne Wang' und Lippe
Hatte Gold und Rang.

Jener Kopf mit Haaren
War vor wenig Jahren
Schön, wie Engel sind!
Tausend junge Fentchen
Leckten ihm das Händchen,
Gafften sich halb blind!

Grabe, Spaden, grabe!
Alles, was ich habe,
Dank' ich, Spaden, dir!
Reich' und arme Leute
Werden meine Beute,
Kommen einst zu mir!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Confirmed with Gedichte von Ludewig Heinrich Christoph Hölty. Besorgt durch seine Freunde Friederich Leopold Grafen zu Stolberg und Johann Heinrich Voß. Hamburg, bei Carl Ernst Bohn. 1783, pages 44-45, with Poetische Blumenlese für das Jahr 1777. Herausgegeben von Joh. Heinr. Voß. Hamburg, bey Carl Ernst Bohn, pages 60-61, and with Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty's Sämtliche Werke kritisch und chronologisch herausgegeben von Wilhelm Michael, Erster Band, Weimar, Gesellschaft der Bibliophilen, 1914, page 195.

Note: Modern spelling would change "Spaden" to "Spaten" (line 1-1) and "Fentchen" to "Fäntchen" (line 3-4)


by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
4. Grave-digger's song
Language: English 
Dig, spade, dig!
Everything that I have
I thank you for, spade!
Both rich and poor people
Will be my prey,
Will come one day to me.

Formerly great and noble,
this skull nodded
no return of greetings.
This skeleton
without cheeks and lips
had once gold and rank.

That head with hair
Was just a few years ago
beautiful, as angels are.
A thousand young fops
licked his hands,
and gaped themselves half blind.

Dig, spade, dig!
Everything that I have
I thank you for, spade!
Both rich and poor people
Will be my prey,
Will come one day to me.

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: 24
Word count: 102

Translation © by Emily Ezust