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Zaubrische Wiegenlieder
Translations © by Bertram Kottmann
Song Cycle by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976)
View original-language texts alone: A Charm of Lullabies
1. A cradle song
Language: English
Sleep, sleep, beauty bright,
Dreaming o'er the joys of night;
Sleep, sleep, in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit and weep.
Sweet babe, in thy face
Soft desires I can trace,
Secret joys and secret smiles,
Little pretty infant wiles.
...
O! the cunning wiles that creep
In thy little heart asleep.
When thy little heart does wake
Then the dreadful lightnings break,
From thy cheek and from thy eye,
O'er the youthful harvests nigh.
Infant wiles and infant smiles
Heaven and Earth of peace beguiles.
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "A cradle song", written c1793, appears in Notebook, possibly intended for Songs of Innocence
See other settings of this text.
by William Blake (1757 - 1827)
1. Ein Wiegenlied
Language: German (Deutsch)
Schlaf, schlaf, schönes Kind
Freud’ in deinen Träumen find’;
schlaf, schlaf, wenig Leid
macht in deinem Schlaf sich breit.
Süßes, ich erspür
zarten Keim der Lust in dir,
Freuden, Lächeln, noch versteckt,
Streiche, künftig ausgeheckt.
[ ... ]
Ach! Es schleicht sich Tücke, List
in dein Herz, wenn’s schlafend ist.
Wenn dein kleines Herz erwacht,
zuckt’s aus dir mit Blitzes Macht:
Tücke, List setzt unverwandt
dann der Jugend Haus in Brand.
Kindes Lächeln, Kindes List
schüren allseits Zank und Zwist.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2015 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in English by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "A cradle song", written c1793, appears in Notebook, possibly intended for Songs of Innocence
Go to the general single-text view
Translation of title "A cradle song" = "Ein Wiegenlied"This text was added to the website: 2015-09-01
Line count: 20
Word count: 97
Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
2. The Highland Balou
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Hee Balou, my sweet wee Donald, Picture o' the great Clanronald! Brawlie kens our wanton Chief What gat my young Highland thief. (Hee Balou!) Leeze me on thy bonnie craigie! And thou live, thou'll steal a naigie, Travel the country thro' and thro' , and bring hame a Carlisle cow! Thro' the Lawlands, o'er the Border, Weel, my babie, may thou furder! Herry the louns o' the laigh Countrie, Syne to the Highlands hame to me!
by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
2. Wiegenlied aus den schottischen Highlands
Language: German (Deutsch)
Schlaf mein süßer, kleiner Donald, gleichst den Großen des Clanronald! Unser wilder Chef weiß gut, dass in dir fließt Diebesblut. Lieb sind mir dein Hals und Kragen! Bist du groß, dann wirst du’s wagen: ziehst durch die Lande immerzu, stiehlst ein Fohlen und ’ne Kuh. Unbemerkt nach England dringen, gut, mein Kind, mög’s dir gelingen! Plündre die Lowlands, zerstör’ ihr Glück; dann kehr zu mir in die Highlands zurück!
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from Scottish (Scots) to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2015 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2015-09-09
Line count: 12
Word count: 69
Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Sephestia's Lullaby
Language: English
Weep not, my wanton, smile upon my knee;
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee.
Mother's wag, pretty boy,
Father's sorrow, father's joy;
When thy father first did see
Such a boy by him and me,
He was glad, I was woe;
Fortune changèd made him so,
When he left his pretty boy,
Last his sorrow, first his joy.
...
Weep not, my wanton, smile upon my knee;
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee.
The wanton smiled, father wept,
Mother cried, baby leapt;
More he crow'd, more we cried,
Nature could not sorrow hide:
He must go, he must kiss
Child and mother, baby bliss,
For he left his pretty boy,
Father's sorrow, father's joy.
Weep not, my wanton, smile upon my knee,
When thou art old there 's grief enough for thee.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Greene (1558 - 1592), "Sephestia's Lullaby", written 1589, from the prose-poem Menaphon
See other settings of this text.
by Robert Greene (1558 - 1592)
3. Sephestias Wiegenlied
Language: German (Deutsch)
Heul’ nicht, mein Wildfang, lächle auf meinem Schoß;
bist du erst alt, wird dir Leid genug zum Los.
Mutters Schalk, hübscher Bub,
Vaters Kummer, Vaters Freud’;
Als dein Vater erstmals dich,
seinen, meinen Bub erblickt’,
freute er sich, mir war’s Leid;
doch das Blatt hat sich gewandt
als er fortging, hübscher Bub,
war’s ihm nicht Kummer, sondern Freud’.
[ ... ]
Heul’ nicht, mein Wildfang, lächle auf meinem Schoß;
bist du erst alt, wird dir Leid genug zum Los.
Wildfang lächelte, Vater weinte,
Mutter weinte, Baby hüpfte;
je mehr es juchzte, desto mehr weinten wir,
die Natur konnte den Kummer nicht verbergen:
Er muss gehn und küsst beid’,
Kind und Mutter, Kinderglück,
ließ den hübschen Bub zurück,
Vaters Kummer, Vaters Freud’.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2015 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Greene (1558 - 1592), "Sephestia's Lullaby", written 1589, from the prose-poem Menaphon
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2015-09-09
Line count: 21
Word count: 120
Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
4. A charm
Language: English
Quiet! Sleep! or I will make Erinnys whip thee with a snake, And cruel Rhadamanthus take Thy body to the boiling lake, Where fire and brimstones never slake; Thy heart shall burn, thy head shall ache, And ev'ry joint about thee quake; And therefor dare not yet to wake! Quiet, sleep! Quiet, sleep! Quiet! Quiet! Sleep! or thou shalt see The horrid hags of Tartary, Whose tresses ugly serpants be, And Cerberus shall bark at thee, And all the Furies that are three The worst is called Tisiphone, Shall lash thee to eternity; And therefor sleep thou peacefully Quiet, sleep! Quiet, sleep! Quiet!
by Thomas Randolph (1605 - 1635)
4. Ein Zaubersang
Language: German (Deutsch)
Stille! Schlaf! Oder ich mach', dass Erynis dich mit einer Schlange peitscht und der grausame Rhadamanthys deinen Leib zu einem kochenden See bringt, wo Feuer und Schwefel nie enden; das Herz soll dir brennen, der Kopf dir schmerzen, und jedes Gelenk dir erzittern; so wage bloß nicht wach zu bleiben! Stille, schlaf! Stille, schlaf! Stille! Stille! Schlaf! Sonst kommen sie vorbei, die gräulichen Hexen der Tartarei, deren Locken hässliche Schlangen sind, und der Höllenhund bellt dich an, mein Kind, und alle Furien, davon gibt’s drei, die schlimmste Tisiphone sei, werden dich peitschen für alle Zeit; drum sei zur Ruhe nun bereit. Stille, schlaf! Stille, schlaf! Stille!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2015 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Randolph (1605 - 1635)
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2015-09-09
Line count: 24
Word count: 106
Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
5. The Nurse's Song
Language: English
Lullaby baby, Lullaby baby, Thy nurse will tend thee as duly as may be. Lullaby baby! Be still, my sweett sweeting, no longer do cry; Sing lullaby baby, lullaby baby. Let dolours be fleeting, I fancy thee, I ... To rock and to lull thee I will not delay me. Lullaby baby, Lullabylabylaby baby, Thy nurse will tend thee as duly as may be Lullabylabylaby baby The gods be thy shield and comfort in need! The gods be thy shield and comfort in need! Sing Lullaby baby, Lullabylaby baby They give thee good fortune and well for to speed, And this to desire ... I will not delay me. This to desire ... I will not delay me. Lullaby baby, Lullabylaby baby, Thy nurse will tend thee as duly as may be. Lullabylabylabylaby baby.
by John Phillip (flourished 1561)
5. Lied des Kindermädchens
Language: German (Deutsch)
Schlafe mein Kindlein, schlafe ein, schlaf ein, Kindlein, dein Mädchen hüt dich so sorgsam wie möglich. Schlafe mein Kindlein! Sei still, mein süß’ Kindlein und weine nicht mehr; sing, „Schlafe, mein Kindlein, schlafe mein Kindlein“. Hinweg alle Schmerzen - lieb habe ich dich, … In den Schlaf dich zu wiegen, bemüh ich mich wahrlich. Schlafe mein Kindlein, schlafe ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, Kindlein, dein Mädchen hüt’ dich so sorgsam wie möglich. Schlafe ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, Kindlein. Die Götter, dein Schirm und Trost in der Not! Die Götter, dein Schirm und Trost in der Not! Sing, „Schlafe, mein Kindlein, schlafe ein, schlaf ein, Kindlein“. Sie geben dir Wohlergeh’n mit auf den Weg, und dir dies zu wünschen, will ich nicht aufschieben. Dir dies zu wünschen, will ich nicht aufschieben. Schlafe mein Kindlein, schlafe ein, schlaf ein, Kindlein, dein Mädchen hüt’ dich so sorgsam wie möglich. Schlafe ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, Kindlein.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2015 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in English by John Phillip (flourished 1561)
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2015-09-09
Line count: 23
Word count: 155
Translation © by Bertram Kottmann