Vier Sangesopfer - Teil 2

Translations © by Bertram Kottmann

Song Cycle by Landon Ronald, Sir (1873 - 1938)

View original-language texts alone: Four Song Offerings - 2nd series

1. Early in the day it was whispered  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English 
Early in the day it was whispered 
that we should sail in a boat, only thou and I, 
and never a soul in the world 
would know of this our pilgrimage 
to no country and to no end.

In that shoreless ocean, 
at thy silently listening smile 
my songs would swell in melodies, 
free as waves, free from all bondage of words.

Is the time not come yet? 
Are there works still to do? 
Lo, the evening has come down upon the shore 
and in the fading light 
the seabirds come flying to their nests.

Who knows when the chains will be off, 
and the boat, like the last glimmer of sunset, 
vanish into the night?

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by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
1.
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Frühmorgens ging ein Flüstern um:
nur du und ich mit einem Boot auf eine Reise,
und keine Menschenseel’ 
würd’ je von unsrer Pilgerfahrt erfahr’n,
die führen wird zu keinem Orte, keinem Ziel.

Auf diesem grenzenlosen Meere würden meine Lieder 
brausend sich zu Melodien entfalten,
frei wie die Wogen, frei von allem Wort,
derweil du lächelst, stille lauschend.

Ist diese Zeit noch nicht bereit?
Sind Werke noch zu tun? 
Schau, wie der Abend senkt sich auf den Strand,
es flieht das Licht, 
und Meeresvögel fliegen heim zu ihrem Nest.

Wer weiß, wann man die Taue löst,
und wann das Boot wie letzter Abendschein 
verschwindet in die Nacht?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2014 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

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This text was added to the website: 2014-05-30
Line count: 17
Word count: 106

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
2. Life of my life, I shall ever try  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English 
Life of my life, 
I shall ever try 
to keep my body pure, 
knowing that thy living touch 
is upon all my limbs.

I shall ever try 
to keep all untruths out from my thoughts, 
knowing that thou art that truth 
which has kindled the light of reason in my mind.

I shall ever try 
to drive all evils away from my heart 
and keep my love in flower, 
knowing that thou 
hast thy seat in the inmost shrine of my heart.

And it shall be my endeavour 
to reveal thee in my actions, 
knowing it is thy power 
gives me strength to act.

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by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
2. Gebet
Language: German (Deutsch) 
O Wille meines Seins,
stets werde ich mich müh’n,
rein meinen Leib zu wahren,
da ich doch weiß, dass tätig Du
mein ganzes Sein berührst.

Stets werde ich mich müh’n,
Wahrhaftigkeit zu wahren,
da ich doch weiß, dass wahrlich du
Licht der Vernunft in mir entzündet.

Stets werde ich mich müh’n,
mein Herz dem Bösen zu verwehren
und immerdar soll meine Liebe blühn,
da ich doch weiß, dass du
im Schreine meines Herzens wohnst.

Und stets werd' ich mich müh’n,
in meinem Tun dich zu erweisen,
da ich doch weiß, dass deine Kraft
mir Kraft zum Handeln gibt.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2014 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

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This text was added to the website: 2014-03-24
Line count: 18
Word count: 98

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Yes, I know, this is nothing but thy love  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English 
Yes, I know, this is nothing but thy love,
O beloved of my heart --
this golden light that dances upon the leaves, 
these idle clouds sailing across the sky, 
this passing breeze leaving 
its coolness upon my forehead.

The morning light has flooded my eyes --
this is thy message to my heart.
Thy face is bent from above, 
thy eyes look down on my eyes, 
and my heart has touched thy feet.

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by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
3.
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Dies weiß ich wohl - nichts anderes als deine Liebe ist’s,
Geliebter meines Herzens:
das goldne Licht, das auf den Blättern tanzt,
Wolken, die träg am Himmel ziehn,
die Brise, die mir 
sanft die Stirne kühlt.

Das Morgenlicht hat meine Augen überschwemmt -
’s ist deine Botschaft an mein Herz.
Dein Antlitz neiget sich hernieder,
und deine Augen schauen meine,
mein Herze rührt an deinen Fuß.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2014 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

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This text was added to the website: 2014-07-02
Line count: 11
Word count: 64

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
4. Let all the strains of joy  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English 
Let all the strains of joy 
mingle in my last song -- 
the joy that makes the earth flow over 
in the riotous excess of the grass, 
the joy that sets the twin brothers, 
life and death, dancing over the wide world, 
the joy that sweeps in with the tempest, 
shaking and waking all life with laughter, 
the joy that sits still with its tears 
on the open red lotus of pain, 
and the joy that throws everything it has 
upon the dust, and knows not a word.

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by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
4.
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Lass alle Freuden ineinanderfließen
in meinem letzten Lied -
die Freude, die der Erde 
das Gras beschert in Überfülle,
die Freude, die das Zwillingspaar
- das Leben und den Tod -  lässt tanzen durch die Welt,
die Freude, die im Sturmwind naht
und lachend alles rüttelt aus dem Schlaf,
die Freude, die voll Tränen
sitzt still auf offner, roter Lotusblüt’ der Pein,
die Freud’, die alles, was sie hat,
dem Staub hinwirft und wortlos bleibt.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2014 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on:

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2014-06-23
Line count: 12
Word count: 72

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann