You are, my distant valley

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Du bist, mein fernes Tal

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE

Du bist, mein fernes Tal,
Verzaubert und versunken. 
Oft hast du mir in Not und Qual
Empor aus deinem Schattenland gewunken
Und deine Mädchenaugen aufgetan,
Daß ich entzückt in kurzem Wahn
Mich ganz zu dir zurück verlor. 

O dunkles Tor, 
O dunkle Todesstunde, 
Komm du heran, daß ich gesunde 
Und daß aus dieses Lebens Leere
Ich heim zu meinen Träumen kehre!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• K. Schwarz • A. Stier

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Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

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Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 195.

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Die Kindheit", written 1912 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 63

You are, my distant valley

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

You are, my distant valley,
Enchanted and rapt.
In affliction and agony you have often
Waved to me from your shadowland
And opened your maiden-eyes,
So that, enraptured in a short illusion,
I completely lost myself back to you.

Oh dark gateway,
Oh dark hour of death,
Approach that I might be healed
And that from out of this life’s emptiness
I may return home to my dreams!

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Translations of title(s):
"Die Kindheit" = "Childhood"
"Kindheit" = "Childhood"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Die Kindheit", written 1912
- Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website: 2017-10-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 70