Seven early songs

Translations © by Michael P Rosewall

Song Cycle by Arnold Franz Walter Schoenberg (1874 - 1951)

View original-language texts alone: 7 frühe Lieder

1. Mein Herz das ist ein tiefer Schacht
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Herz das ist ein tiefer Schacht,
Drin gräbt die Liebste Tag und Nacht,
Nach seinen edlen Erzen, nach seinen edlen Erzen.
Und wie sie pocht auf dem Gestein,
Da klingt hervor ein Liedchen klein,
Jubelnd aus meinem Herzen, jubelnd aus meinem Herzen.

Und Tag und Nacht und Nacht und Tag,
Führt unbekümmert nun den Schlag.
Die Liebste froh und munter, die Liebste froh und munter;
Ist unerschöpflich doch der Schacht,
Meinst du, du hättest ihn leer gemacht,
Steig tiefer dann hinunter, steig tiefer dann hinunter.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
1. My heart is a fathomless pit
Language: English 
My heart is a fathomless pit
In which my beloved labors day and night
In search of its treasures, its prized treasures.
And as she batters against the stone,
A precious song rings forth
Jubilantly, jubilantly from my heart.

Day and night, and night and day,
the pounding continues without a care.
My darling happily, brightly and happily
is tireless in the mine.
If you mean to empty it entirely,
Climb further - further and more deeply within.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 2011-01-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 77

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
2. Mädchenlied
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Sang ein Bettlerpärlein 
Am Schenkenthor,
Zwei geliebte Lippen 
An meinem Ohr.

Schenkin, süße Schenkin,
Kredenz dem Paar,
Ihren Dürsten biete 
Die Labung dar! --

Und ich bot sie willig,
Doch der böse Mann
Biß mir wund die Lippen
Und lachte dann:

Ritzt der Gast dem Becher 
Ein Zeichen ein,
Heißt's: er ist zu eigen 
Nur ihm allein.

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by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
2.
Language: English 
A pair of beggars sang 
by the innkeepers gate
Their two taunting voices 
by my ear.

"Barmaid, sweet barmaid,
Serve this pair,
Their thirsts have need 
of refreshment."

And I served them willingly, 
but an angry man
Snapped hurtfully at me, 
then laughed:

"If a guest makes his mark 
on a goblet
it means that it is intended 
for him alone."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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 "Mädchenlied" = "Song of the maiden"


This text was added to the website: 2011-01-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 61

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
3. Mädchenfrühling
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Aprilwind;
alle Knospen sind
schon aufgegangen;
es sprießt das Grund,
und 
sein Mund
bleibt so verschlossen?

Maisonnenregen;
alle Blumen langen,
stille aufgegangen,
 ... 
dem lieben Licht.
Fühlt, fühlt er es nicht?

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by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920)
3. A maiden in springtime
Language: English 
April's breeze;
All of the buds have
already sprouted forth;
the ground sundered wide,
and
does his mouth 
yet remain closed?

May's sun showers;
all the flowers longing,
silently blooming,
toward the light -
the beloved light.
Can't he, can't he feel it?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 2011-01-07
Line count: 13
Word count: 42

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
4. Waldesnacht
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Waldesnacht, du wunderkühle, 
Die ich tausend Male grüß',
Nach dem lauten Weltgewühle,
O wie ist dein Rauschen süß!
Träumerisch die müden Glieder
Berg' ich weich ins Moos,
Und mir ist, als würd' ich wieder
All der irren Qualen los.

Fernes Flötenlied, vertöne,
Das ein weites Sehnen rührt,
Die Gedanken in die schöne,
Ach! mißgönnte Ferne führt.
Laß die Waldesnacht mich wiegen,
Stillen jede Pein!
Und ein seliges Genügen
Saug' ich mit den Düften ein.

In den heimlich engen Kreisen,
Wird dir wohl, du wildes Herz,
Und ein Friede schwebt mit leisen
Flügelschlägen niederwärts.
Singet, holde Vögellieder,
Mich in Schlummer sacht!
Irre Qualen, löst euch wieder;
Wildes Herz, nun gute Nacht!

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by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
4. Forested night
Language: English 
Wondrously cool, forested night,
that I a thousand times have greeted,
After the loud ferment of the world, 
O, how sweet is your rustling!
Dreamily, my weary limbs
I shelter in the yielding moss,
And for me, it is as if I were again
Free of all senseless distress.

The song of a distant flute, sounding,
Stirs a vast longing;
My thoughts wander into the beautiful,
Ah, tantalizing distance!
May this forested night cradle me, 
Soothing every pain;
And blissful fulfillment
I inhale along with its fragrances.

Within this secluded, intimate sphere, 
are boons for you, my frenzied heart,
And serenity floats, on the delicate
flutter of wings, downward.
Sing me, lovely bird songs,
gently to my rest!
Senseless anxieties, once more be gone;
Wild heart, now good night!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 24
Word count: 129

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
5. Nicht doch!
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mädel, laß das Stricken -- geh,
thu den Strumpf bei Seite heute;
das ist was für alte Leute,
für die Jungen blüht der Klee!
Laß, mein Kind,
komm, mein Schätzchen!
siehst du nicht, der Abendwind
schäkert mit den Weidenkätzchen . . .
 
Mädel, liebes, sieh doch nicht
immer so bei Seite heute;
das ist was für alte Leute,
junge seh'n sich ins Gesicht!
Komm, mein Kind,
sieh doch, Schätzchen:
über uns der Abendwind
schäkert mit den Weidenkätzchen . . .
 
Siehst du, Mädel, war's nicht nett
so an meiner Seite heute?
Das ist was für junge Leute,
alte gehn allein zu Bett! --
Was denn, Kind?
weinen, Schätzchen?
Nicht doch -- sieh der Abendwind
schäkert mit den Weidenkätzchen . . .

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Original confirmed with Moderner Musen-Almanach auf das Jahr 1893. Herausgeber (editor) Otto Julius Bierbaum, München: Druck und Verlag von Dr. E. Albert & Co., 1894, pages 216-217.

by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920)
5. Please don't!
Language: English 
Young miss, put your knitting down,
Set the stocking aside for today;
That's something for old folks,
For youngsters - the clover is in bloom!
Stop, little one. 
Come, my sweet; 
Can't you see that the evening breeze
is teasing the willow catkins?

Young miss, my darling, do not
avert your glance again today;
That's something for older folks,
Youth look each other in the eye (face)!
Come, little one, 
And see, my precious,
above us, the evening breeze
is teasing the willow catkins!

Do you see, my young miss? Wasn't it nice
to be by my side today?
This is something for young folks, 
The old ones retire alone to their beds.
But what is this, little one?
Are you crying, my precious?
Please don't! Look, the evening breeze
is teasing the willow catkins!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 24
Word count: 134

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
6. Mannesbangen
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du darfst nicht meinen,
ich hätte Furcht vor dir.
Nur wenn du mit deinen
scheuen Augen Glück begehrst
und mir mit solchen
zuckenden Händen
wie mit Dolchen
durch die Haare fährst,
Und mein Kopf liegt an deinen Lenden:
dann, du Wehrlose,
beb' ich vor dir...

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by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920)
6. Masculine fears
Language: English 
You cannot believe
that I would be afraid of you.
But when you, with your
shy eyes, beg for happiness,
and when you run those
darting hands,
like daggers,
through my hair,
And my head rests on your thighs:
then, [helpless one],
I tremble before you...

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 11
Word count: 46

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
7. Deinem Blick mich zu bequemen
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Deinem Blick mich zu bequemen,
Deinem Munde, deiner Brust,
Deine Stimme zu vernehmen
War die letzt' und erste Lust.

Gestern, ach, war sie die letzte,
Dann verlosch mir Leucht und Feuer,
Jeder Scherz der mich ergetzte,
Wird nun schuldenschwer und teuer.

Eh' es Allah nicht gefällt,
Uns  ...  zu vereinen,
Gibt mir Sonne, Mond und Welt
Nur Gelegenheit zum Weinen.

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by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
7.
Language: English 
That your gaze might incline to me,
That your mouth, your breast
and your voice I might sense.
Was my last, and my first desire.

Yesterday, alas, was her last;
then were my light and fire extinguished.
Every pleasantness that once delighted
Is now grievous and oppressive.

If it does not please Allah
to unite us,
The sun, moon and earth only give me
occasion to weep.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 2011-01-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 67

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall