The earth | When gently enraptured my eyes see

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by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Die Erde

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG ENG ENG FRE

Wenn sanft entzückt mein Auge sieht,
Wie schön im Lenz die Erde blüht:
Wie jedes Wesen angeschmiegt
An ihren Segensbrüsten liegt;

Und wie sie jeden Säugling liebt,
Ihm gern die milde Nahrung giebt,
Und so in steter Jugendkraft
Hervor bringt, nährt und Wachsthum schafft:

Dann fühl' ich hohen Busendrang,
Zu rühmen den mit That und Sang,
Des wundervoller Allmachts-Ruf
Die weite Welt so schön erschuf!

Der Wald und Kraut drauf wachsen ließ,
Und Meere sie umgürten hieß;
Von dem der Seegen alle kömmt,
Der uns mit Wonne überschwemmt!

Ja, ja, mein Geist, erheb ihn laut,
Der unsern Erdenball gebaut!
Erfreu, so lang es ihm gefällt,
Dich an dem Anblick seiner Welt.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• F. Schubert

F. Schubert sets stanzas 1-3

View text with all available footnotes

Confirmed with Mildheimisches Lieder-Buch von 518 lustigen und ernsthaften Gesängen über alle Dinge in der Welt und alle Umstände des menschlichen Lebens, die man besingen kann. Gesammelt für Freunde erlaubter Fröhlichkeit und ächter Tugend, die den Kopf nicht hängt, von Rudolph Zacharias Becker. Gotha, in der Beckerischen Buchhandlung 1799, page 12; with Wilhelmine. Ein Lesebuch für Mädchen von zehn bis fünfzehn Jahren, zur Bildung des Herzens und des Geschmacks. Von Johann Genersich, Professor. Zweyter Theil. Zweyte, verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage. Wien, 1816. Im Verlage bey Anton Doll, pages 185-186; and with Allgemeines Liederbuch des deutschen Nationalgesanges. Zweyter Theil. Altona, bey C. G. Pinkvoß, 1798, pages 72-73.

Note: This poem is a variant of Matthisson's Die schöne Erde; see below. The modifications could not be traced to an authentic publication of Matthisson, however. While Mildheimisches Lieder-Buch uses the title "Die Erde" and does not mention Matthisson as the author, the prior edition of this variant in Allgemeines Liederbuch des deutschen Nationalgesanges uses the title "Die schöne Erde" and specifies Matthisson as the author.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Die Erde" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Die Erde", D 579B (1817?), published 1970, stanzas 1-3 [ voice, piano ], note: formerly D. 989. [sung text checked 1 time]

Set in a modified version by Wilhelm Friedrich Riem, Friedrich Wilhelm Rust.

Go to the text. [ view differences ] ENG

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 111

The earth

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

When gently enraptured my eyes see
How beautifully the earth blooms in springtime;
How every creature, nestling close,
Lies at her blessed breasts;

And how she loves every suckling,
Gladly giving him mild sustenance,
And thus in everlasting vigour of youth
Brings forth, succours, and creates growth;

Then I feel a lofty compulsion in my bosom
To praise Him with deed and song,
Him, whose wondrous omnipotent call
Created the wide world so beautifully.

Who let forests and herbs grow upon it,
And bade the seas to begird it;
He, from whom all blessings come,
Who floods us with bliss!

Yes, yes, my spirit, extol Him loudly,
Who built our globe!
And as long as it is His desire, delight
In the contemplation of His world.

View text with all available footnotes

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Die Erde"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2015-06-09
Line count: 20
Word count: 126